


The American Experiment

by aham



Series: The American Experiment [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Aaron Burr, Closeted Character, Established Relationship, Gay Alexander Hamilton, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Multi, Political Campaigns, Single Parent Aaron Burr, Tags May Change, The Schuyler Sisters, Thomas Jefferson Being an Asshole, are the best
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-11-16 16:14:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11256480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aham/pseuds/aham
Summary: Alexander Hamilton cannotconstitutionallybe President of the United States. Aaron Burr is unsure if it is something he wants, if it is even possible for someone like him. The campaign for the candidacy complicates their relationship.A story about the unraveling of egos and ideologies.





	1. Chapter 1

**February 2019**

Alexander holds a deep blue tie to Aaron’s neck, giving it one hard look before a frustrated noise escapes his thin lips. He mutters something vicious before switching to the slightly lighter tie in his left hand. He pauses for a moment before he discards both in the pile that has been growing on the rickety vanity of the dressing room. Aaron on the other hand stands perfectly still. He stares -not at Alexander- but at the plastic black wall clock that was just to the left of his campaign manager. He watches as the minute hand lurches forward, his stomach mimicking the motion.

A sharp perfunctory knock interrupts Alexander’s conversation with the new set of ties in his grasp.

Aaron twists his head toward the door to greet Angelica Schuyler, his Communications Director. She gives Alexander and his colorful mess of fabric a stern look.

“I thought we had already agreed on what Aaron would be wearing today” she notes, a heaviness in her voice that is implies that she is tired of his Hamilton’s antics. The days leading up to the announcement have been a series of clashes amongst the Burr-campaign staff and most frequently, they feature Alexander at the center.

“Well, _Angie_ ” he responds, the nickname a means to undermine her, “the tie we chose originally was perfect for when this announcement was going to take place outside because a majority of it would be hidden by his coat. Since the event has been moved indoors, he needs something more subdued.” Aaron focuses on the clock with because when those two argue it’s like they’re the only ones in the room.

“Hamilton, we polled with the original tie. Had whole testing groups. It performed best even when uncovered. It goes well with Theo’s dress, and Aaron needs to be on that stage in fifteen minutes. You will put him back in that tie” she snaps. She brings the back of her hand to her temple, exasperated.

Alexander turns his dark glare from the ties to Angelica. She holds it, a perfect eyebrow arched in his direction, until with a low whine, he pulls away. She smiles, satisfied for just a moment.

“Burr” Alexander moans in a way that is almost as obscene as it is obnoxious. “Tell Angelica that as your campaign manager, I get to make the final call.” He tugs at his ponytail.

Angelica regards Aaron with the same no-nonsense look she had used on Hamilton.

“Angelica, could you please give Alex and I a minute?” Aaron asks, his voice not quite betraying the anxiety that has since blossomed in his chest. Angelica casts him a slow look, up and down and then glowers at Alexander.

“I expect you to be in my tie when I return in ten minutes Aaron.” She isn't even looking at Burr, and he is well acquainted with the finality in her tone. She turns and shuts the door behind her. Hamilton looks to him, displeasure written all over his face.

“Stop picking fights with the rest of the staff” Aaron states before Alexander has a chance to continue the fight “just give me the first tie, Angelica’s tie.” Hamilton looks at Burr, his brown eyes loaded with reproach, and then reaches for the tie at the base of the discard pile. He hands it off to Aaron before he begins again.

“I mean would it have killed you to defend me? This is the most important day of both of our lives, and I am just trying to make sure that it is perfect and all the stupid fucking ties are wrong and you didn’t even bother defending me from Angelica who just does not get that I am her boss and I don’t even know how this campaign is going to go if you don’t trust my calls and seriously Burr, I just don’t understand you. Why do you even keep me around if you’re just going to ignore my opinions. What the fuck is Don Lemon going to say about your stupid fucking tie. When it comes up, don’t ask me for help because Angelica will be the one fielding questions over this shit.”

Hamilton notices Aaron’s quivering fingers failing at making the proper knot at his neck.

Burr makes a low growl at his own hands, whose nerves have betrayed him. He has spent a majority of his adult life in the public eye, this isn’t his first time with a tie, but it has already become such a source of anxiety and conflict that he feels unsteady.

“Let me help” Alexander offers, taking Aaron’s hands into his own and away from the lopsided tie. He presses a quick kiss to the other man’s dark knuckles before he returns his hands to Burr’s collar to undo the previous mess of twists.

“Am I making a mistake?” Aaron asks quietly, as if accidentally, to the wall clock above Hamilton’s shoulder. Alexander focuses on finishing the final loop of the knot. Once it’s settled, he readjusts the tie so that it falls evenly on Aaron’s chest.

“Aaron” Hamilton’s voice is soft in a way it rarely ever is, “this is what we have been planning for our entire careers.” Alexander slips his hand across the stern line of Aaron’s jaw and brings it to rest so that his index is pressed against Aaron’s ear. He strokes Aaron’s cheek with his thumb with a movement that manages to be gentle and firm all at once. Aaron’s gaze shifts back onto Alexander, to study the dark patches underneath his eyes. He knows Alexander is anxious about the whole announcement and that paired with his general restlessness means he is at a particularly Hamiltonian-degree of irritable. “Remember when we went to Yale for that stupid fucking Pre-Law Conference, and you were acting like a pretentious asshole and I got into a fight with a panelist who was like a councilperson or something. Do you remember what you told me?”

“To shut up?” Aaron provides with a little smile.

Alexander laughs in a way that recalls that arrogant, overdressed boy. “Yes, that’s true.” He smiles brightly up at Burr. “But you also said that I should stop picking fights, and stop alienating people so that we could be in those rooms, making the important calls. The presidency? Of the country? That’s like the most important room there is and we are so close, and you are ready.”Alexander looks up to Aaron with the conviction clear on his face, his dark eyes shiny in the fluorescent dressing room lighting. 

Aaron takes a steadying breath, in through his nose and out through his mouth. And another. And another until he feels a little more grounded. Alexander watches and waits for an opportunity to speak, a skill that he has only developed in adulthood and really only ever employs on Burr’s behalf.

“You’re ready Burr.”

“Thank you Alexander.”

Aaron presses as much sincerity into the kiss that follows as he had in his words. It is a long kiss, but soft and quiet and still. Aaron focuses on the comfort of Alexander’s mouth on his; it silences the ticking of the wall clock and the unease that has bloomed all over his body. They kiss with the sort of gentleness that can only be earned after years of ego and politics and arguments. Alexander’s stubble makes Aaron’s mouth feel a little scratchy, a quality Aaron cannot get used to despite how long they have been doing it for, but one that he relishes in.

“Aaron, I expect you to -” Angelica’s voice pulls Aaron back into the present moment. He takes one cautious step away from Alexander, who pulls his hand away from Burr’s jaw. “- be dressed and ready. You’re expected on stage in five.”

Aaron turns toward her more fully. She scans his appearance, a smile at the sight of the black and silver tie, and gives Alexander a sharp nod. For all of their bickering and the occasional moment of animosity Angelica and Alexander are bonded by their desire to see Aaron succeed.

“Still not into the tie” Alexander points out, unhelpfully. He takes a step away from Aaron to better scrutinize his outfit. Angelica rolls her eyes and turns her full attention onto Burr.

“You look great Aaron. The speech is perfect. There is a bottle of water on the podium, take a drink as soon as you get up there. It’ll help with the nerves. The physical copy of the speech with your notes from rehearsal are up there too. We tested the teleprompters and microphones forty-five minutes ago. The major outlets have received copies of the transcript and Theo and the rest of the team are waiting for you on the wings of the stage. Van Ness is almost finished introducing you and the crowd seems really excited” Angelica lists, as she fiddles with a crease on his black suit. She runs a manicured hand across the fold. With one final look, she wraps him in a brief hug. “Remember to smile” she bites out.

She takes a few steps back and presses a hand to her communication device in her ear. Aaron watches her for a moment. He and Angelica met while they were studying at Princeton. She was a grade above him, a couple of years older, and studied Communications with a minor in Public Policy. They had been in debate class together one fall semester, and he was impressed by her fieriness. At the end of the course he had decided to make a move and ask her on a date. She outright laughed at him. Over the course of the following semester, his infatuation with Angelica developed into something more stable, a friendship. They bonded over feminist zines, their coursework, and a shared desire to make the world a little more just.

Angelica nods at no one in particular, her dark, thick hair bouncing in a fluid motion. She is fully focused on sounds that only she can hear. Alexander reaches over and grasps Aaron’s fingers to busy his own hands. He fiddles with Aaron’s ring, twisting the simple silver wedding band one way and then another.  

“It’s show time” Angelica indicates with a point to her earpiece. Aaron runs his free hand across the front of his suit, one last time, and Alexander gives the hand clasped in his a soft tug. Aaron turns to him in response and Alexander presses a brief, sharp kiss to his lips. Once the kiss is finished, Hamilton drops Aaron’s hand and they both turn to Angelica so that she can guide them toward where they need to be. The three walk in silence through the maze that is backstage. While they had been fundraising and planning and campaigning for what felt like ages, this was their first official announcement of Aaron’s candidacy for President of the United States and the immense responsibility of that declaration weighed on the three of them.

Aaron follows Angelica mindlessly. His eyes focused on the fluid movements of her hair. He can hear Hamilton a half step behind him, through the clicking of Angelica’s heels on the linoleum tile. Those two and the rest of the team had done as much as they could and it was up to Burr now to ensure that he did his part. While this had for a long time been the source of jokes amongst his friends, he was mere moments from having his entire world uprooted. Aaron had been patient, had been meticulous, had been diligent, and this was the moment he was waiting for.

They reach the side of the stage in time to catch the last few moments of Van Ness’ introductory speech. Aaron immediately gravitates toward the side of his daughter, Theo. She offers him a toothy smile. He tries to reassure her with a soft squeeze of her small hand. Eliza Schuyler, his Fundraising Director (and Angelica’s younger sister) gives him and Theo warm hugs, mouths a ‘good luck’ to them both and pairs it with a set of thumbs up.

“Please welcome to the stage your next President, the Junior Senator of the State of New York, Aaron Burr and his daughter, Theodosia” Van Ness concludes to the deafening noise of the crowd. Aaron takes a more firm hold of Theo’s hand and makes his way toward center stage. He and Theo walk toward the podium, where Van Ness greets them both with efficient hugs. He needs to remind himself to take it slow, to smile and wave, to turn his body in multiple directions, to choose one person in the multitude to look at in every intersection, to take steps deliberately. Then they make their way toward the edge of the stage, where they pause and wave, letting the noises of the crowd wash over them. After another moment at the perimeter, the Burrs return to the center. Aaron wraps his daughter in a quick hug before waving to her as she makes her exit. He knows his team awaits Theo on the side of the stage, but cannot see past her skinny frame disappearing into the dark. He turns his attention forward and wraps his hands on the outer edges of the podium to steady himself. He takes a deep breath and then a quick sip of water. In another beat the crowd grows silent. His knuckles go white from the firmness of his grip. 

“Let me begin by saying thanks to all of you who've traveled, from far and wide, to be here with us today in New York City.”

Alexander watches from the wings and follows along to the speech Burr delivers. He had stopped writing Aaron’s speeches ages ago, when they had begun developing a real campaign team, but still made a point of attending every rehearsal and having every word, every pause, every breath committed to memory. At this point, it was more for his sake than Burr’s. Aaron looks presidential, he commands the space. His voice remains steady and confident and cool, and the tie that Hamilton decried looks great and makes Burr seem younger and more approachable, but these are not notes he would necessarily admit to Angelica.

Theo, stands in between Alexander and Eliza, with eyes only for her father. At eleven years old, she is tall and skinny and dark, with her father’s eyes and firm-set jaw, and her mother’s smile. She is smarter than Burr was at her age and that fills Aaron with pride. “Can he really do it?” she asks the two adults at her side, her eyes still trained on her father’s form.

“Yes” Eliza and Alexander answer immediately with kind of resolute certainty that drove them all to this campaign.

 

 

 

There are still a few minutes remaining in Burr’s speech but Angelica has already disappeared down a hallway to set up interviews with the evening talk shows and political pundits. They have a press conference scheduled immediately after the speech, and then a meet-and-greet with the public. It is Angelica’s job to ensure that the questions are friendly and flattering, and that the photo-ops are prepped. Typically, she attempts to be a little more tactful and easygoing, but today more than ever, her job requires perfection. Aaron is young and black and can come off as detached, a little wishy-washy and _political_ , and it is her job to ensure that the average voter likes him.

Eliza speaks in hushed tones with Theo, as they prep for the girl’s return to the stage to join her father for his bow. Theo has grown up in the spectacle of Washington politics. They had been campaigning for Aaron’s second senate race when her mother, Theodosia, had died abruptly of stomach cancer. After that, Theodosia's death became a focal point for the media, and the only thing that kept Aaron from disappearing from public service had been the support of his friends, most notably the Schuylers and Alexander. While it was not in Eliza’s job description to prep Theo for public appearances, she enjoyed it. Eliza had a propensity to care for everyone and was particularly adept at handling children. Plus, it spared Alexander some of the awkwardness of interacting with Theo who almost exclusively refers to him as ‘Mr. Hamilton’ despite having known him for a majority of her life.

Alexander stands at the edge of the stage, still following along the speech. He cringes hard when Burr approaches a phrase he has had trouble with during rehearsals, and exhales loudly once it is delivered. He keeps track of any lapses, any lines that land the wrong way, and absolutely any moments of surprise, applause, or laughter. For Hamilton, this moment has always been inevitable. He knew from an early age that he could never be president because he was not born in the U.S., and therefore had committed to having a hand in creating one. Aaron has all of the makings of a good politician that Alexander lacks: an even temperament, a capacity for restraint, and the political pedigree. Burr is potential and promise. 

“It will take your time, your energy, and your advice -- to push us forward when we're doing right, and to let us know when we're not. This campaign has to be about reclaiming the meaning of citizenship, restoring our sense of common purpose, and realizing that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change.”

Aaron pauses then, his eyes scanning the crowd. The stage rattles with the energy of the applause. Before him is an expanse of placards and signs, some handmade, which shake until they become a indistinguishable streaks of white and red and blue.

“Thank you. God bless you all and God bless America” he concludes. A winning smile is tacked onto the end of his statement, the perfect punctuation. He turns his head toward the side of the stage and awaits his daughter’s reemergence. He catches a glimpse of Hamilton who is baring teeth in a grin that is typically reserved for when Alexander bests Burr in debate. A moment later, he sees his daughter emerge and make her way toward him. She is dressed in a soft black top and an A-line deep blue skirt that ends right above her knee. She grins at him and he takes a few steps forward to meet her for a hug.  

“You were great dad” she says, just loud enough to catch over the cheers. Her wiry arms wrap for a few seconds around his torso, and she rests her head against his chest. He wonders if she too can hear the rushing of his blood, his earlier nervousness has since converted into adrenaline. When they pull away, they turn their attention back to the crowd to wave, and run the same circuit as earlier.  

Once Aaron and Theo return to the side of the stage, they are swarmed by excited staffers. Theo untangles herself from the crowd and makes a bee-line for Eliza who greets her with a large hug and congratulatory remarks. Alexander, now that the speech is over, turns his attention toward his cellphone, refreshing his email, his Facebook feed and his Twitter. #Burr2020 is trending in multiple states, and he knows Angelica will be pleased by that information. The first sets of photos have emerged on the timeline, and some of Burr’s winning smiles from the livestream have already been converted to gifs. He retweets his favorites, as well as the transcript of the speech that appears on the New York Times and some of the posts from the official Burr campaign account (which is managed by Angelica who trusts neither Burr or Hamilton to do it themselves). Alexander fidgets, feeling out of place with little to do as Burr addresses the interns and junior staffers.  

“This would not have been possible without you all.” Aaron is as gracious and patient as ever. He flashes another perfect, performative smile. “The campaign has only just begun, and there’s so much work left to do, but today is as much about me as it is about you all and your efforts. Thank you.” He shakes hands and poses for photos with the interns.

Angelica returns from whatever hallway she has been pacing in and cuts through the group. She grabs Burr by the arm without a word and begins to lead him to the press room. Alexander flags down Peggy, the youngest of the Schuyler sisters and the campaign’s Volunteer Coordinator, and has her take over with the staffers. He glances quickly at Eliza, who flashes him a smile as she carries conversation with Theo. Seeing as everything on this end has been handled, he makes his way toward the press conference.

 

 

 

 

The hours on the campaign go by all at once after the announcement. Most of the staff takes the rest of the afternoon off, but Angelica and Alexander stick around taking phone calls, scheduling appearances, and ensuring that Burr is prepped for any possibility. The last things on the calendar for the evening is a taped segment for a late-night talk show. The host is a ruddy, young white man with a loud laugh and an honest smile. The segment is a lot of fluff, but this show in particular has a ton of appeal with young people and while the primaries are still nearly a year away, the get-out-the-vote effort has already begun. The host cracks jokes at Burr’s behalf and refers to him exclusively as ‘Senator.’ At one point, he pulls up a short, auto-tuned remix of his speech which makes Burr play up a cringe for the cameras, and asks Burr a series of pre-approved questions. The studio audience is responsive, and seems to be enjoying the exchange quite a bit. Aaron is good at these kinds of bits, giving noncommittal answers and flashing grand smiles.

“You have been in the public eye for quite some time Senator” the host notes, his demeanor growing a bit more serious. “Your wife Theodosia passed away a few years ago,” his voice manages to sound earnest and sympathetic. Behind them a portrait of a much younger Aaron with Theodosia and their daughter, still a toddler, appears and the crowd does an ‘aw’ noise that is intended to seem comforting but to Burr, it simply comes off as inappropriate. “Is there someone special in your life now?”

Aaron looks out to the camera to his right and then to Alexander’s skinny form. Aaron notes the hunch of his shoulders, the bend where Alexander carries all of his stress. Hamilton indulges in the look for a moment, before Burr breaks into that rehearsed little laugh. “Raising my daughter, Theo, and serving the great state of New York, and the country, doesn’t really leave a lot of time for dating unfortunately” he says easily. Aaron doesn’t like to lie especially about this, but this answer is technically true. The crowd manages to sound sad about his response.

Alexander knows that this is what they are, what they are going to be until at least after the election, but he cannot help the way disappointment curls at the base of his stomach. He gets an elbow to the side from Angelica, who must read the expression openly in his face.

The host of the show brightens up again, back to the easy, cheerful mood almost instantly. “It’s a shame your schedule keeps you so busy, but don’t write off love so quickly, you have just been recently dubbed ‘that hot senator’ online” he laughs, pulling up a photo from earlier of Aaron at the podium looking every bit as political-dynasty as possible. The caption of the attached tweet reads 'I'd let Aaron Burr into my oval ;) #Burr2020.' The crowd and the host share a laugh. The next photo is one of Aaron in sweat pants and a maroon t-shirt on the couch of his home with a black cat curled up on his lap. It is one Alexander took one early morning before Theo had woken. The crowd makes a different iteration of that ‘aw’ noise, and Aaron feels the heat rise across his face. If he were any lighter, the blush would be visible. He has to remember to ask Angelica how exactly she got that photo.

He clears his throat. “I am flattered and I hope people are looking into the issues and want to volunteer and help get the word out about the campaign,” he redirects. The host smiles at that, all bright lined teeth at Aaron and then to the camera on their left.

“Thank you so much for your time Senator! We will be back with a musical guest appearance from Harry Styles” the host signs off.

The house lights in the studio come on, and Burr takes a moment to adjust to the new degree of visibility. He shakes hands with the host, exchanges pleasantries and then stands to regroup with his team. Angelica beams at him. She looked a little disheveled, probably from the long day, but pleased. Her thick hair is now pulled into a tight ponytail.

“Great work today Burr” she comments, some of the tension in her shoulders disappearing already.

“Couldn’t have done it without you Angelica” he acknowledges. That only makes the smile on her full lips grow.

“I know” she laughs. “Also, Eliza wanted me to let you know that she dropped Theo off with your sister already, and that they promised to call in the morning.”

Aaron needs to remember to send Eliza a fruit basket or something. She was not only absolutely brilliant at her job, but she had also fostered a friendship with his daughter. After the death of Theodosia, Aaron had been incredibly intentional in ensuring that Theo would be surrounded by intelligent and deeply admirable women. Growing up, Aaron had struggled with the lack of representation in Washington, and in part his deep hesitance in the political arena was due to the fact that there weren’t many black men around, and thus he had to be more mindful of all the ways in which he could come off to others. He wanted to ensure that his daughter didn't feel as limited as he had.

“Ready to go?” Alexander asks them both. Hamilton seems particularly restless, he undoes his ponytail and rakes his fingers through his hair. Angelica responds with a short nod. He, Burr and Angelica make their way off the studio floor, through the back of the stage and out the side door into the cool New York night.

“My car is back that way” Angelica provides, as way of goodbye. She gives them both quick hugs. “Hamilton, make sure he gets some rest. If you keep him up all night, I will know and I will be very upset” she warns in a voice that makes it unclear as to whether she is joking with them or not.

“No promises.” Alexander smirks openly. Burr rolls his eyes in mock annoyance. Angelica parts with one last bright smile, weary on the edges because of the exhaustion but still beautiful, and a small wave of her hand. She turns away from them and they watch her receding form in silence. The tension that had settled earlier on Alexander’s features has not quite faded.

“Can I buy you a drink?” Aaron asks, a little smile playing at the corner of his lips. It’s a line they have recycled a thousand times. Both men look exhausted, but rare is the moment when he and Alexander are together, alone and with no agenda between them.

Alexander answers by way of a pitchy laugh, “that would be nice.”

The two men walk shoulder to shoulder down a quiet street in Hell’s Kitchen. The distance between them is a little formal for lovers, and Burr’s ‘no touching in public’ norm is something that Hamilton has had to practice, but the night still has a lot of promise. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the speech excerpts are from President Obama's 2007 announcement speech.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is explicit sexual content in this chapter.

**February 2019**

The cellphone buzzes on the nightstand and Aaron prays that if he ignores it, he will be able to remain in his bed for a little longer. He doesn’t really have opportunities to sleep in; the demands of his job or the needs of his daughter tend to have him moving by the time the sun rises, therefore likes to indulge when he can. Alexander is completely naked and snoring beside him, with a tanned hand curled possessively around Aaron’s hip, the rest of his arm resting low on Aaron’s stomach. The phone falls silent and Burr sighs in relief, readjusting into the comfort of his pillow and Alexander’s affections. Then, Alexander’s phone begins to ring, loudly, in a different part of the room. Aaron groans, resenting Hamilton’s decision to keep his phone on ‘loud’ during the entirety of campaign season. Aaron forces his eyes open, the early morning light coming into his New York apartment making him squint. He detangles himself from Alexander’s side, who does not shift an inch in his sleep. He grabs his phone off the nightstand, and pads toward where Hamilton’s phone is still making offending noises. He picks it up from inside the jacket Alexander discarded in the middle of bedroom the previous night and silences the phone. Burr glances back at the man in his bed and can’t help the way sentiment roots itself in his chest, warm and expansive. Alexander’s dark hair is fanned out on the pillow, his mouth is slightly open displaying a peek of his slightly crooked teeth, and only in sleep does he lose that restless quality of his for something softer.

One of the phones in Burr’s hand –his- begins to vibrate, and Aaron has to fight every impulse to discard it and forget the campaign and the constituents and crawl back into bed with Hamilton.

“Lafayette” he answers, short and clipped. He is trying both to be considerate of Alexander’s sleeping form and to convey his annoyance toward his Political Director.

“Hello little Burr” the Frenchman sings, “I have been trying to reach you for some time now.” Aaron checks the digital clock on the nightstand, it isn’t even seven o’clock yet. He wants to scream but settles for a deep exhale.

“I was asleep, Laf. Sorry” he offers as explanation. Aaron rubs at his eyes with the bottom of his palm.

“I would presume you know where Alex is, yes? I have been calling him for quite some time as well. It is very unlike him to ignore my calls” Lafayette counters, with no pretensions about the implications of the question. Part of Alexander’s terms for his relationship with Burr included that they were open about their relationships with their friends.

“Hamilton is sleeping, Gilbert” he provides, more pointedly than intended, “what is it that you called for again?” He had no interest in discussing his relationship with Lafayette at six in the morning.

“You know I am quite close with Jefferson and his people, yes? Well, rumor has it that he will be stepping down from his post at the State Department today,” Lafayette explains, “I believe his intention is to run for President as well.” Aaron already feels the beginnings of a migraine forming. His eyes fall back on Hamilton’s exposed, tanned back against his white bed sheets. Burr thinks he would leave public service if Alexander asked, but he knows the other man won’t. Aaron is unsure if he finds that disappointing.

“Do you know when the announcement is coming?” Aaron inquires. He knows that he will have to wake Alexander up as soon as he is off the phone or risk his anger should he find out Aaron withheld this from him for any period of time, but Alexander looks more relaxed than he has seen him in weeks.

 “Noon, I believe.”

 Aaron turns to the digital clock again and wonders when an acceptable moment to wake up the rest of his staff. “Thank you, Lafayette. I will let Hamilton know and I am sure he will reach out to figure out the next steps.”

“Send my love to _notre ami_ , Alexander. We will speak soon Aaron, of that I am sure,” Lafayette tone is jovial and familiar and Aaron can feel the headache settling in. He hangs up the phone and then makes his way toward the bathroom. He quickly washes his face and brushes his teeth. When he returns Hamilton is already awake, though his brown eyes are half shut and his hair still loose. He is laying on his side, face turned toward Burr, bed sheets wrapped up to his chest.

“I woke up and you were gone.” Alexander pats the space next to him, a sleepy little smile plays on his lips. Aaron gives in and makes his way into Alexander’s grasp, who wraps himself around Burr’s frame and rests his head on Burr’s chest. Aaron reaches a hand into Alexander’s dark hair and runs his fingers through it, gently undoing some of the tangles that have formed overnight.

“Lafayette called” Aaron provides. Alexander hums in acknowledgement, not quite stirring. Aaron likes him like this, can imagine this Alexander, soft and quiet, in his bed forever. “Jefferson is resigning from State today. Laf thinks he is going to run.” The mood sours, Alexander tenses, his slender shoulders stiffening against where they rest on Burr.

“Does Washington already know?” Alexander speaks largely to himself. Burr shrugs gently, and continues the pattern in Alexanders hair. “He must know, why wouldn’t he call to warn me? I know he doesn’t always approve of my choices, but he should have called. What does it mean for Jefferson to be leaving with over a year left in the presidency? Jefferson is trying to distance himself from Washington’s legacy. Can you believe that? After all the opportunities that Washington has given him, you would think he would be a little more grateful.” Alexander rests his chin on Burr’s chest to be able to look up to the man underneath him, his thick eyebrows twisted and expressive. Aaron leans his head forward and presses his lips against Alexander’s forehead. Alexander frowns. “I need to get out of bed. I need to call Lafayette and see what he knows, and then call Washington, and probably Angelica. Maybe I should call Angelica first, and then conference call Lafayette. We need a strategy, Burr. I can call my friends at the Post and see if they will let me ghost write an editorial on that asshole Jefferson, that tall ungrateful motherfucker.”

“Talk less, Alexander” Aaron murmurs and Hamilton rewards him with a frown. He unhitches himself from Burr’s frame, already making eyes at the cellphone on the nightstand. Burr grabs Alexander by one of his narrow wrist, and gently tugs at him, making the other man flop ungracefully into the mattress and partly into Aaron.

“Talk less” Aaron repeats, pressing a kiss onto the other’s lips. Alexander mutters a string of curses against Burr’s lips. Hamilton’s facial hair tickles as he speaks. “No more mentions of Jefferson in my bed” Burr admonishes. He presses a kiss to the corner of Alexander’s mouth, then on his patchy jaw, and at the base of his collarbone. Hamilton groans low in his throat and runs a hand across the ridges of Burr’s ribs and past his navel. He rakes his sharp fingernails across the pubic hair of Aaron’s pelvis, and then back up to the sharp jut of his hip. He repeats the pattern, leaving a trail of raised, reddened skin. Aaron thrusts towards Alexander’s hand and presses a whine to his shoulder. Hamilton can’t help the laugh that escapes his lips, and does it again, dragging his hand lower and closer to the base of Aaron’s cock. His hand floats near it, the heat radiating and then he twists his nail to drag it back up toward Burr’s bellybutton. Aaron bites Alexander’s shoulder in response, meriting another laugh from Hamilton, who quickly reaches back and presses the pad of his thumb to Aaron’s slit.

Burr’s breath hitches. Alexander gives Aaron one languid stroke.

Alexander makes a point of slowly, steadily lowering himself on Burr’s body. He rolls his tongue around one dark nipple and follows it with the scrape of teeth, eliciting a small groan from the man underneath him. Hamilton presses a wet kiss to the very top of Aaron’s ribcage, and then another and another and another lower down. He licks the stretch between his lowest rib and his navel, leaving a streak of shine on Aaron’s dark skin. Alexander bites the space immediately below Burr’s bellybutton. He can’t really hear it, but he feels the way Aaron’s breath catches.

With little fanfare, Alexander takes Aaron’s length fully into his mouth. He slides his tongue, flat and firm, across the head of Aaron’s dick. “Fuck” Aaron sighs out, low and slow, and Hamilton feels pleasure curl up in his abdomen. Alexander hums in content, the vibrations causing Aaron to shiver underneath him. Hamilton pulls his mouth off with an obscene pop of his lips, he leaves a trail of spit and pre-come, his lips reddened and slick, and then takes Aaron’s cock into his hands. He begins to jerk off the man beside him, who is still and quiet but has pleasure built into the way he is exhaling. Alexander thinks he can get off to just the sounds of Aaron breathing in bed. Aaron, getting impatient, is lifting his hips in anticipation to meet with Alexander’s strokes.

Alexander’s phone rings, something piercing that startles them both and causes Hamilton to squeeze Aaron’s cock which makes the other man moan something filthy. It is the most obnoxious tone in the world, and it is the one that indicates that its President Washington calling. Aaron has never resented the man more than the second he meets Alexander’s eyes and notices that he is already distracted. Hamilton looks up to Burr, his eyes searching for permission, his hand slacking. Alexander cant help but cast his gaze away from Burr to the ringing cellphone.  

“Answer Alexander,” Aaron states, despite the fact that he does not mean it. Alexander knows this, but nods and scrambles to pick up the phone nonetheless. Aaron sighs, already losing some of the warm tension that had coiled in his body, allowing it to transform into annoyance. The headache that was threatening earlier unfurls. Alexander, gloriously naked, walks out of the bedroom and into the hallway to carry his conversation. Aaron rolls over, onto his stomach, and growls into the pillow that smells of Alexander’s coconut shampoo.

 

 

 

By the time Aaron makes it downstairs from his shower, there is a pot of coffee in the kitchen already and Alexander is fully dressed and has an orange mug in his hand. The sleeves of his light green shirt are rolled up his forearms and his hair is neatly picked up at the top of his head. He glances away from his computer screen to regard Aaron with a long look. Aaron’s black cat, Mr. Fluffington –Fluffy for short- (as named by a 7-year-old Theo), scurries over to purr against Burr’s leg. He reaches down to scratch behind his ear.

“You know I can’t just ignore calls from the President, Aaron” he says, instead of an apology. But this is Alexander Hamilton, and therefore Burr never expects apologies. That doesn’t really change his disappointment.

“I know Hamilton.” He wants nothing more than to be good, to be patient, and he doesn’t want to fight with Alexander this morning, especially not about Washington’s role in their lives.

“Lafayette and Angelica are coming over. They’re bringing breakfast and we are going to strategize a response to the news about Jefferson. Washington had called to tell me that he had only just found out himself” Alexander provides, keeping his eyes carefully trained on Burr, who is still focusing on the cat. “I put some water to heat up, figured you’d wanna have some tea this morning. Sally called while you were in the shower, she dropped Theo off at school. I told her we would pick her up?” Aaron hears the question in Alexander’s voice and recognizes how this is the way the other backs him into forgiveness, with halfhearted attempts at domesticity.  

Aaron takes a steady breath and turns to Alexander, who is looking at him so openly and imploringly that Aaron wonders if it hurts to have it all written on your face like that all the time. “You know my schedule better than I do Alexander, if we are free, I would love to go pick up my daughter,” Aaron answers. He makes his way into the kitchen, picking up a bag of the chamomile that he hopes will help with the pressure in his head. He pours hot water into an old ‘Burr for Senate’ mug.

 Alexander has fallen quiet again, his attention fully back on the document before him. The only thing that can silence Hamilton is reading, or writing, or fucking and those things only work intermittently. Aaron curls up at the end of the suede black couch with his tea, and Mr. Fluffington snuggles right up to him. Aaron goes through his calendar, the next two hours already blocked off under ‘AH/AS/GMML Strategy Session’, then another two hours block to stop by the local Senate office, then to pick up Theo at school, and then a meeting with his Senior Staff. The thing that Aaron enjoys most about his current career trajectory is that his life is structured, largely without his own input. Alexander and Angelica co-manage his calendar, his clothing choices, his commitments and convictions. He wakes up and follows the plan they’ve laid out, all he has to do is be charming and convincing. His emails, phone calls, and messages are presorted and only things necessitating his immediate and exclusive attention reach him. He spends his time sorting through those.

The two men work quietly until a knock at the door disrupts the flow. Aaron stands and heads for the door, and Mr. Fluffington dashes up the stairs. His cat is not necessarily fond of others, particularly since he had grown accustomed to it being just Theo and Aaron.  
  
“Angelica! Lafayette!” He greets them both with brief hugs. Angelica’s hair is picked up in a tight ponytail at the top of her head, and she has tight lines at the corner of her mouth. Lafayette looks exhausted, his youthful face marred by deep set bags under his eyes. Angelica offers a bag of bagels by way of greeting and Aaron steps back to let both in.

“Monsieur Hamilton” Lafayette greets, pulling the much smaller man into an incredibly affectionate hug.

“Monsieur Lafayette” Hamilton laughs. Lafayette decorates Alexander’s cheeks with a kiss for each.

“Angelica! Good morning,” Alexander then turns to her with a warm hug.

Aaron sets the bagels on the dining table, which is seldom used for actual eating. “Would either of you like some tea or coffee? Alexander made the pot,” Aaron offers.

“Yes, coffee please. Black” Angelica casts him a grateful look as she settles at the table.

“No Burr, _pas maintenant_ ,” Lafayette responds, turning his attention to buttering a cinnamon-raison bagel. Aaron retrieves Angelica’s coffee and a glass of water for Lafayette. They settle around the table, bringing out laptops and picking at their food for a quiet minute.

“So can someone explain what the hell Thomas Jefferson is doing?” Angelica asks, annoyance flourishing in the sharpness of her tone. Today was supposed to be an easier morning.

“Jefferson is resigning from State” Hamilton supplies, “he hasn’t turned in his resignation yet but it is expected by Washington’s staff by lunchtime. He wants to put some distance between himself and the Washington administration so that when he runs, he can be able to criticize the outgoing admin. He thinks it will help his chances, though I think it makes him look like a coward.”

“And you know he is going to run?” Angelica presses, already thinking through all the angles.

“Yes,” it’s Lafayette’s turn, “Madison is managing his campaign. I know as much because I was asked to join.”  

“Jefferson is trying to poach my staff?!” If Aaron is annoyed by the confession, Alexander is straight up outraged. The back of his neck flushes a deep red. “I can’t believe that arrogant asshole has the audacity to approach you. First, he disrespects Washington’s legacy by stepping down in the final months of the administration, and then he tries to undermine my campaign and steal my staff? And Madison is un-fucking-believable, who does he even think he is?!” Aaron reaches over, puts a soothing hand in Alexander’s hair. “Do you think he is just doing all this shit to get a rise out of me? That wannabe-French fucker.”

“You have spoken with Washington already?” Angelica asks Alexander, trying to keep him focused. He nods. “And do you know if they have a list already for potential appointments? Are they going to fill the vacancy at all?”

“Well Randolph is the top of the list, though not my first choice. Knox. Pickering. That asshole Charles Lee” Alexander lists. “Me? Were I not running this campaign.” He looks straight at Burr, his eyes a little hard. Aaron knows that they will need to discuss that later, but it has no place in the current conversation.

“Well Randolph has a long history of siding with Jefferson in disputes that involve you” Aaron notes, “and Lee hates you. But he does like me I think, we’ve worked together in the past, which means he might be amendable.” 

“Knox has always favored our Alex. Pickering is more complicated,” Lafayette cannot help the annoyed quality in his voice. Pickering has a long history of being a bit of an anglophile and attempting to undermine U.S. relations with France. “But he will endorse Burr if he thinks it would help his cause.”

“Okay Alexander, I need you to call Washington and ensure that we will be the first to know about replacements” Angelica orders, “Burr, I’ve begun drafting a statement about Jefferson’s resignation. You are confident in the state of global affairs, Jefferson has served the country well, blah blah blah.”

Alexander turns the full force of his unrest on Angelica. “A neutral statement? Angelica, this is his chance to destroy Jefferson before he even gets out of the gate. He is abandoning the administration in a time of immense international tensions. What message does that send other world leaders? They are going to think we are weak. We should be forceful, make sure he can’t show his face in D.C. again. Paint him as unreliable and untrustworthy.”

“Alexander” she says warningly, “Aaron needs to appear _presidential_ , that doesn’t happen while he is picking fights with Jefferson, especially prior to an announcement. We need to have press on our side, we need to have other legislators on our side, and we want the inside on the appointment.”Hamilton rolls his eyes, runs a hand through his hair. “They haven’t announced yet, and we do not want to add anticipation for when they do” Angelica continues. Alexander turns his gaze onto Aaron. 

“And you? What do you think?” And Aaron knows that Alexander is picking a fight, and that he shouldn’t bite but he also cannot lie to him when he is asking him so directly. Lafayette watches with lips pressed into a tight line.

“I think Angelica is right. We don’t want to alienate our allies or give Jefferson any momentum,” Aaron answers.

Alexander huffs, aggravation coming off him like waves. “Burr, you’re always playing the game, aren’t you? Are you even upset that he is stepping down? That he is doing this and making shit harder for us? That he holds you to such little regard that he tried to snatch your Political Director? Why go through all this work if we are going to remain without opinions? What’s the point, huh?” Alexander runs a frustrated hand through his hair, pulling it out of its usual ponytail. “You’re letting Jefferson fuck with everything we have all worked for. I could be the fucking Secretary of State, and then I wouldn’t have to watch my tongue like this” he snaps out. Lafayette stops chewing on his bagel, and Angelica sets down her mug. The room stops moving.

Aaron picks himself up from the table. “I am going to go for a walk,” he states. His eyes flicker between Angelica and Lafayette, both of whom have quieted considerably.

“I’ll call you when we have something ready Aaron” Angelica says, touching his arm lightly as he walks by. Her voice is softer than it typically is, and her dark brown eyes are loaded with sympathy. Burr nods sharply, picks up his keys from the countertop and throws on his winter coat. A moment later he has left the room.  

“Alexander,” Angelica’s tone is all edges again once Aaron is gone. “Do you want to run this campaign?”

Hamilton had recruited a large part of the senior staff, and Angelica had brought Eliza on board. They had surrounded Burr with their most loved and trusted, and that meant that they were charged with making sure the morale was high. “I do” he admits, “it’s just Washington called me this morning and dropped that about wanting to have appointed me and we could not have anticipated Jefferson stepping down, but I would have been a great Secretary of State and would have had a chance to make a name for myself and I have wanted an opportunity like this for so long and the timing is just bad.” Angelica’s features soften a bit, and Lafayette reaches a hand across the table to squeeze Alex’s. “It’s just this news with Jefferson has me upset, and then Washington isn’t always super supportive of Burr, and sometimes Aaron just seems so indifferent.”

“We need you to be all in” Angelica implores, her voice revealing something she doesn’t quite articulate, “you need to be sure so that we can all feel confident doing our jobs. So that Aaron can be his best.” Alexander knows this already.

“I am” he reiterates.

“Good then, let’s get to work” she smiles that brilliant smile of hers.

 

 

 

Aaron sits at a coffee shop a few blocks away from his apartment, with a warm green tea in hand. He tries to ignore the way his hands are shaking and the way the anxiety is rising within him. It’s always this way with Alexander, where he says something sharp and it’s unclear if he meant it or what his intentions were and Aaron wants to be infinitely patient and forgiving but it’s tiring. And the thing is that Aaron would not be chasing the presidency, if it weren’t for Alexander’s commitment. The fact that Alexander acts so burdened by it makes Burr feel really unsteady. His phone buzzes on the table top.

  _Come back._

It’s from Alexander and Aaron reads it as a concession. He entertains the possibility that when he walks into his apartment, he will be confronted by Hamilton’s resignation (and probably Lafayette’s). While that feels fairly unlikely, it is possible and he can’t help but indulge the idea. He takes a few more minutes to gather his thoughts and finish his tea before he braces himself for the walk back home.

New York is cold even for February. Burr tugs at the collar of his coat and then buries his hands deep in the pockets. He keeps a brisk pace on the short blocks back to his apartment. The cold keeps him from processing too heavily his feelings about the campaign and Alexander’s words. He wasn’t necessarily surprised by Jefferson’s decision to run, and while it did surge feelings of annoyance, he understood where the other man was coming from. He did not like that Madison had approached Lafayette about joining their staff, but he trusted that they had bred loyalty within the senior staff and that no one would jump ship. Aaron could not even find it in himself to resent Hamilton’s desire to be Secretary of State.

“Mr. Burr” his doorman greets, letting him into the warmth of the lobby.

“Howie, good morning” Aaron responds, with a clipped smile and a small wave.

“I heard your speech yesterday, very impressive. The whole family is excited to vote for you Mr. Burr” Howie mentions, his smile broad and earnest.

“Thank you, Howie. It means a lot.” And it does. Aaron had gotten into politics because he wanted to serve people who had been politically marginalized, use his voice to uplift their needs. The comment helps boost his confidence as he makes his way up to his apartment.

“Little Burr” comes the greeting from Lafayette as he makes his way inside. The three members of his staff are still sitting at the dining table, half-eaten bagels largely discarded at this point.

“We leaked news of Jefferson’s resignation to a few friendly press members contingent upon them guaranteeing coverage of your response. We have drafted a statement where you wish Jefferson well, signal your faith in the Washington administration, and present a confident demeanor for our allies across the globe” Angelica states, all business again. “There will be a handful of reporters waiting for you when you arrive to the office today. Don’t get baited into gossiping about Jefferson.

 

 

 

The announcement of Jefferson’s resignation comes a few minutes before noon attached to a press briefing from the Washington administration. They celebrate the successes of Jefferson’s tenure, reassure our global partners about the state of affairs, and make mentions of the reappointment search. A few minutes after noon Aaron is interviewed outside of the midtown senate office by a perfectly nice reporter from Local 12. He provides a few quotes to the Times, the Post and the Daily News. Angelica even tweets from the @SenatorBurr account some platitudes of well wishes for Thomas. It is all nice and neutral, and Aaron ignores the pointed looks and exasperated sighs from Alexander. They pick up Theo from school, and Alexander doesn’t say a single thing during the entire car ride. They allow Theo’s chatter to fill the space, she tells them about her lunchtime conversations and an assignment from her history class. The three of them have a quiet lunch at Theo’s favorite burger spot in the city before they drop her off at Sally’s. They return to the office for the senior staff meeting, where Mulligan, his Field Director, and Peggy present a joint proposal for the campaign trail, as well as the projected volunteer efforts leading up to Iowa. Eliza discusses campaign financials. Angelica prattles of a list of public endorsements. Laurens, his Policy Director, pitches a relaunch of the ‘Issues’ section of his website that allows for more expanded focus on race, immigration, voter rights and lgbtqia+ protections. Its edgy and it has Alexander written all over it, but when Aaron presents hesitation, Alexander remains silent. Lafayette provides details as to the developing political strategy, particularly how Jefferson changes the field. Burr provides notes when necessary, asks questions and sets timelines. Hamilton doesn’t say much and Aaron does not ask. The meeting closes with a glass of celebratory champagne for the announcement, and the subsequent good work of the staff. Most everyone seems pleased, and if it were not for the particular ways in which Alexander is sighing, Aaron could almost presume things to be peaceful.

“Would you like for me to take you to your place or …” the question hangs in Aaron’s voice. Alexander’s eyes flicker from Burr’s merlot-colored tie to his incredibly brown eyes. When they’re in New York, Hamilton spends more time in the office or at Aaron’s than he ever does at his own home.

“Herc, Laf, Peggy and I are going to a bar a few blocks away if you two want to come” John offers, looking exclusively at Alexander. John’s green eyes sparkle with mischief and maybe a little bit of champagne. It’s a look he wears well.

“I have to get back to my daughter” Aaron notes, without even a hint of disappointment. While he likes his senior staff, and at this point considers many of them his closest friends, he would rather be at home with his kid and his cat. When they were younger, Alexander would drag Aaron to bars with the rest of his crew. He could never keep up, and when he started seeing Theodosia, who liked dates at museums and strolls in the park, and he fell out of the routine bar nights with the boys.

Alexander regards Aaron quizzically, opens his mouth and shuts it moments later. “That sounds like fun John,” he even manages one of those charming smiles, that is just for Laurens. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Burr?”  Alexander looks straight at Aaron, jutting his soft chin a little defiantly.

“Have a good time, I will see you both tomorrow.” Aaron waves goodbye to both men, and those two instantly pickup conversation. He has always been somewhat envious of the easy-going relationship between them, of their innate compatibility. He tries not to feel the old flare of insecurity that always creeps up when it comes to John Laurens.

He is on the drive to Sally’s when his phone rings. He glances down at the screen and is greeted by a single name: Jefferson. He lets it ring once more, and inhales deeply before he answers.

“Jefferson” his tone is even, doesn’t let in the barest hint of animosity.

“Mr. Burr,” Aaron can almost hear the curl of his lips in his tone.

“Thomas.” He knows not to press, not to feign being polite, not to offer more than is being given. These are the rules of the game.

“I was calling to congratulate you on your announcement, and to mention that I received your well wishes,” Jefferson responds, and Aaron finds that there is nothing warm about that remark.

“Well, I appreciate the call,” Aaron responds.

“When I heard you were running I couldn’t really believe it. _Little Burr_ from New York, for President?” The nickname sounds amiss without Lafayette’s affection ringing through it. “You withdrew so much from the public after your late wife had passed, and you have always been a bit conflict-averse. And then I heard that Hamilton was running your campaign, and it all made sense.”

Aaron’s interest peaks at that. He and Alexander are incredibly careful about their relationship in public, and despite their good friendship, Burr trusts that Lafayette (or any other member of his staff) would not out him to Thomas. His shoulders stiffen.

“You know _Washington’s pet_ is using you to pursue his own power, correct?” Jefferson muses. Aaron feels heat rise up in him, but bites his tongue. His discipline is what has gotten him this far. “Why do you think he chose you? Figures he can get you into office and then he gets free-range over the decision-making as an unelected, unimpeachable member of the staff.”

“Is that all, Thomas?” Aaron tries to work out the tightness from his voice.

“I am sure you already heard, but I am committed to keeping that bastard immigrant out of the White House. He has already leveraged too much influence on Washington. I will not let Hamilton destroy this party” Jefferson sneers, his tone like barbed wire. Aaron has to take a moment to notice how tightly he is gripping his cellphone, how even in his fingers tips he can feel the tension.

“Well Jefferson, again, thank you for the call,” he manages to still sound composed, “we will see each other on the trail.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kindness y'all have shown the first chapter of this story. I need to get better at responding to things instead of getting overwhelmed. Also will try regular updates on Sundays. And you can follow me on tumblr at https://baaronburr.tumblr.com/


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started this, I was like "there will be lots of traveling, I'll name chapters after locations and now thats not really working. 
> 
> There's talk p overt talk about white supremacy and racism that the characters are directly impacted by and responding to.

**May 2019**

The race fills out a bit more in the weeks following Burr’s announcement. The nominees in his party include: Abigail Adams, the beloved former Governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Pinckney, current Governor of South Carolina, James Bayard, a congressman from Delaware, and of course Jefferson, with his lengthy list of accomplishments in public service. Aaron is polling well and consistently, though the bulk of the campaigning hasn’t quite started. The last couple of weeks have been spent splitting his time between his Senate obligations, strategizing for the trail with Laurens and Mulligan, and spending as much time with Theo as possible before he begins long stretches on the road. Aaron and Alexander sit cross-legged on the living room carpet, multiple open suitcases in front of them. They’ve taken the day off, technically, to pack and prepare for their travels. The first leg of the campaign will be in the Southeast, hitting Florida and then winding up to Georgia, then South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and then back to Florida.

“Abigail called” Hamilton notes, “said that when you get back you two should meet for coffee.” He tosses the t-shirt in his hand into one of the suitcases. Aaron rolls his eyes and reaches over for the soft fabric, properly folding it before setting it on the stacks of shirts on the carpet.

“What do you think?” Aaron asks, looking evenly at Alexander.

“I think it’s a good idea. Probably best if it’s nothing public but Abigail is smart, like-minded and a far better politician than that idiot husband of hers. Could be an interesting VP choice, a Burr-Adams ticket. She’s white, has a history of championing women’s rights, she’s experienced and tough as hell too. And unions love her. I mean I am not saying she needs to be your choice, but it’s worth thinking about and meeting with her could help you get a sense of if you two get along. I mean you would win Massachusetts in the general, and I’ve heard she can be a bit domineering, but I don’t think that would be a problem with the two of you,” he waves the t-shirt in his hand around as he speaks, “I also think the two of you would probably have no problem developing a national agenda, Abigail has some of the most visionary policies around reproductive care. Maybe you should lead with that conversation when you meet, we could develop a joint vision for the party? You and Abigail would be a good team.”

“Reach out to Angelica and check in with her before you schedule a meeting,” Aaron mentions, his attention back on folding shirts.

“Have you thought about it yet? The ticket?” Alexander asks, his eyes shining in the warm light of the living room.

“Not really, I mean, I have to secure the nomination first,” Aaron points out, a small shrug of his shoulders.

Alexander rolls his eyes. “We’ve got this Burr. You’re going to get the nomination,” Alexander states. His confidence in Aaron plain as day. “Then you’re going to be President, and you’ll wear navy to the inaugural ball and the photos of you and Theo dancing will be precious.” He throws a t-shirt directly at Aaron’s face and Aaron responds by throwing one of the black pillows from the sofa at Alexander. Hamilton lunges toward him, both falling into the lush carpet and on top of Burr’s neat stacks of clothing.

“I am going to have to fold those again,” Burr’s voice is light and there’s a smile playing on his lips. Alexander straddles his waist, putting his knees at either side of Aaron. He leans down and presses a kiss to Aaron’s full mouth.

“I’ll help later,” Hamilton grins, wiggling his narrow hips.

“No, you won’t,” Aaron quips.

Alexander frowns, his eyes narrow and he crosses his arms over his chest. “I mean I guess I will just leave then, since you clearly care more about packing than you do about me,” he pouts. He makes a motion to stand, and Aaron wraps a hand around his hips.

“Stay,” he squeezes Hamilton’s side softly, “please?”

Alexander grins, big and open at Burr. “I guess I won’t deny you the pleasure of my company Mr. Burr,” Alexander laughs, kissing Aaron again when the other man rolls his eyes. Aaron’s hand finds its away underneath the soft fabric of Alexander’s shirt. Alexander kisses him with playful pecks, not keeping that absurd grin off his face. Aaron reaches a hand into Alexander’s hair, undoing the messy bun. He deepens the kiss, ignoring the way Hamilton’s hair tickles when it brushes his skin. They make out on the rug for quite some time, and it’s a little uncomfortable with Alexander’s weight on Aaron and the lumps of clothing they are on, but it is also so luxurious. Aaron wonders how he spent so much of his adulthood missing something he didn’t even know was possible. His mouth feels tender from kissing, and he can feel the thread of the rug rubbing against the exposed skin of his neck. Aaron thinks this should be irritating or uncomfortable but with Alexander’s body keeping him grounded, his hands splayed on Aaron’s chest, there is nowhere in the entire world he would rather be.

Alexander begins to undo the buttons of Aaron’s lavender dress shirt, working his way lower. He grinds his hips against Aaron’s. Aaron pulls Alexander back down by the hair for a kiss, and Alexander obliges. He tries to kiss Aaron and undo the buttons, gets frustrated and yanks at the shirt without removing his mouth from Aaron’s. He can hear the remaining buttons pop off, and Aaron groans.

“Stop ruining my shirts Hamilton,” Aaron laughs against the other man’s lips. Alexander grins, large and bright.

“Mulligan will fix it” he counters. Aaron knows that in absolutely no context will he approach Hercules about stitching buttons on his dress shirt. It’s just not a conversation he wants to have with his Field Director. Aaron grabs Alexander by the hips and shifts him onto the carpet. He lands on the soft surface with a pout.  

“Theo will be home soon. We actually do need to pack, and I promised I would make lunch,” Aaron explains, already beginning to resort the wrinkled clothing. Alexander frown deepens, his eyebrows nearly meeting from the way he has them twisted. Aaron laughs. “It’s not my fault you won’t help with the chores,” Aaron grins. This only makes Alexander’s pout more petulant. Burr laughs and playfully pecks a kiss to Alexander’s mouth. Hamilton cannot help looking pleased.

“Fine,” Alexander relinquishes, “but later.” He blows Aaron a kiss. He stands from the mess of clothing and heads for the bedroom. “I’m gonna send some emails out, probably call John and Angelica about the pamphlets before they’re sent to print.”

“Thanks for the help Hamilton,” Aaron rolls his eyes, indicating to the clothing around him.

“Some of us actually have work to do Mr. Senator.”

 

 

 

Aaron is still in the kitchen when he hears the jingling of Theo’s keys in the lock. While Aaron attempts to pick her up as often as possible, during session or campaign seasons its typically her and their driver, which makes him feel the tiniest sense of guilt. She takes off her shoes at the door, and hangs her raincoat on the rack mindful of not tracking mud through the living space.

“Hello Theo,” Alexander greets with a little wave of his hands from his space on the couch. His attention still on the computer screen in front of him.

“Mr. Hamilton,” she smiles back. Their black cat instantly is at her calf, purring up against it. Theo leans down to scratch his ear, “Fluffy,” she coos. She straightens out and comes into the kitchen. Aaron instantly turns to envelope her in a hug. “Hey dad, smells great,” she mutters from against his chest.

“Should be ready soon. How was school?” Aaron turns his attention partly back to the simmering pots before him, using a wooden spoon to stir the boiling pasta.

“Good. I got back a test from English, which I need you to sign.” Aaron can hear Theo rummaging through her backpack, for the paper he assumes. “And we are going on a field trip in a few weeks to the natural history museum and I have a project for social studies due on Monday.”

“What’s the project?” Aaron asks as he watches the bubbling three-cheese sauce. He turns off the heat for that burner.

“We have to write an essay about a significant historical event and make a timeline. And then, there’s a presentation,” she explains, animatedly. Aaron hopes that her enthusiasm for school never fades.

“Do you know what event yet?” Aaron scoops a macaroni shell from the boiling water to test if it is soft enough. He bites into it and it’s still a little stiff. He sets the oven to preheat.

“The Revolutionary War” she proposes, nearly immediately. Aaron turns, wiping his hands on the black apron he is wearing.

“You know who knows a ton about the Revolutionary War?” he asks. Theo tilts her head. “Alexander,” Aaron offers, Alexander looks up, already leveling a look at Burr “he studied colonial history in college, carries a pocket Constitution and everything.” Alexander cannot help but feel flush with embarrassment.

“I wrote my senior thesis on a comparative analysis of the history of revolutions in ‘the New World’ with a particular focus on the U.S., Haiti and Cuba,” Hamilton explains, “and the implications for post-colonial movements in the twenty-first century. Did you know that by 1779, one in seven Americans fighting in the war were Black people. The first all-Black regiment was based out of Rhode Island.” Theo chews on the inside of her lip, regarding Alexander with those dark eyes of hers. Alexander wants to squirm, wondering how Aaron managed to teach his daughter that look or if it was just a genetic thing.

“Theo, would you like Alexander to help you with your project?” Aaron prompts, looking between his pre-teen daughter and the disheveled man on the couch.

“Sure,” she says.

“Can you ask him to do you the favor?” Aaron knows he is leading, but he can’t help it. Alexander’s eyebrows arc into a question. Theo also has inquiry in her dark eyes. Aaron wants to laugh at their shared expression.

“Mr. Hamilton, could you help me with my project?” Theo asks, fiddling the pleats of her skirt. Alexander closes his laptop and sets it aside, turning his attention fully to the girl.

“Of course, wanna talk about it while your dad finishes dinner?” Alexander proposes, a more-or-less relaxed smile on his lips. Theo nods and gathers her things, she plops down at the other end of the couch that Alexander occupies. Aaron shoots him a reassuring smile and turns his attention back to the stove top.

Aaron is unsure of Theo’s social discomfort is genetic, or a byproduct of knowing deep loss at such a young age. Theodosia had always been better at getting their daughter out of her shell. And Alexander, who brings out the social side of nearly everyone, is an absolute mess when it comes to interacting with the girl, especially since he has become a more present fixture in their lives. Before he and Alexander started dating, Aaron had attempted to have conversations with his daughter about her feelings, to reassure her that Alexander was not in any way replacing her mother, to ask if she felt comfortable with his presence. Theo would always turn the questioning back on Aaron with a ‘you happy, dad?’ and that was that. He honestly didn’t know what he had done to deserve such a kind and intelligent child. He drains the pasta and then mixes it into the sauce. He can hear Alexander and Theo chatting. He moves to set the table, clearing away the morning copy of the Times and putting away whatever book Alexander was thumbing through last night.

 

 

 

Aaron presses a warm kiss to Theo’s forehead, holding her for another beat. The rest of the team has already been processed through security, and he knows they are waiting at the gate but he isn’t quite ready to let his daughter go. He turns his attention to his older sister Sally, who holds herself tall in a way Aaron has never quite managed. No one bats an eyelash when she and Theo are out together. They share those incredibly dark almond-shaped eyes and that thick, tightly coiled hair. Theo is lighter than Sally is and her mouth a little less full, but they have the same firm lines in their jaws.

“I will call at least once a day, but Sally, please call me if you need absolutely anything or if something happens,” Aaron rushes out, fiddling with his hands. He is nervous about the span of time this will take away from his family.

“Aaron, c’mon, I half raised you and Theo is a lot less trouble than you were at that age” Sally laughs, throwing a warm smile at her niece. Theo grins in response. “Your dad was the worst kid,” Sally tells Theo, “I will have to tell you some stories when we get home.” Theo glances between her aunt and her father.

“There are no stories Sally,” Aaron inserts, not bothering to hide the warmth in his voice. Sally laughs, the crinkles at the edges of her eyes deepening. “You have to pick up Fluffy at home, Theo has a key. All of her school uniforms and enough clothes to last the week are packed in the suitcases by the door. I have already authorized you for school pick up, but if you get any trouble have them call me. Our driver is on call as well, and I sent you the contact information for the babysitter.”

“Aaron, it’s not the first time I watch Theo so relax, we are going to have a great time,” Sally states, though she does not look too annoyed with his fretting. Aaron knows to trust his sister, knows that his daughter will be safe and well taken care of, but it is the first time he is leaving for more than a weekend since Theodosia died.

“Sally, thank you seriously. Send my thanks to Tapping as well,” Aaron pulls his older sister into a hug. Sally rolls her eyes against the crisp fabric of Aaron’s jacket.

“No need for all that, I will take any chance I get to spend time with my favorite niece,” Sally grins.

“I am your only niece Aunt Sally,” Theo points out.

“Exactly.”  

“Thank you Sally,” Aaron says and then turns his attention onto his daughter, “be good Theo. Listen to your aunt and behave. Make sure you answer the phone. I’ll see you in a few weeks in Florida, and if you’re good, we can go to Disney.” Theo brightens up at that, giving her father her brightest smile.

“I am always good dad,” she notes, and Aaron cannot help but nod in agreement. He wonders for a second if all parents feel that way about their kids, something far more powerful than pride. He wraps her in another firm hug.

“Love you” he mumbles against the top of her hair.

“Love you too but you’re crushing me,” Theo comments with a smirk.

“Aaron, you need to get going or you’re going to miss your flight,” Sally prods. He nods once and takes a step away from his daughter. He waves goodbye to them both and makes his way to the security queue. The process is fairly painless, and he walks to the gate where the team awaits him. Aaron thinks that at least one of the perks of running for President has to be the chartered flights. When he gets to the waiting area, it is Eliza who approaches him first.

“Aaron!” she greets him kindly with a brief hug, “Alexander and Angelica went to go get lunch for everyone. Lafayette is running a bit late, but he called saying he would be here soon.” Peggy, John and Hercules are sitting on the ground each with their laptops out. They greet Burr, Peggy with a small wave, Laurens with a smile and Herc with a sharp nod and then turn their focus back to their screens.

“Senator Burr,” a deeply brown young woman offers her hand to shake. Her mouth is painted a fire-engine red, and it matches the deep red of her blouse. He takes her hand, and arcs a brow in question. “Maria Reynolds, Communications and Development Manager. I am part of Ms. Schuy –Angelica’s team.” He studies her small frame.

“Welcome,” Aaron smiles, making a mental note to be mindful of Mrs. Reynolds. He and Angelica had multiple conversations about hiring another person to help balance some of her and Eliza’s responsibilities, he just hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. He trusted Angelica, and therefore to some extent, had to trust her choice.

“Senator,” a low laugh comes from behind him. He already knows who that voice belongs to.

“Bell,” he turns and pulls Jonathan Bellamy into a hug which the taller man openly returns. Jon and Aaron were raised within the confines of high society in New York. Their families had always been close; Aaron would often go over to Jon’s house just to listen to his grandfather tell stories about his parents. Jonathan was one of Aaron’s closest friends, the only one from childhood that remained, and so when Angelica had asked Aaron if he knew any journalists who he trusted enough to cover the trail, he had volunteered Bellamy.

“How are you? How’s Theo?” Jon asks, all light and earnestness.

“I am okay, running for president is apparently a lot of work,” Aaron supplies. “Theo is getting taller every day, she’s doing well in school. She’s staying with Sally.”

“And Sally, how is she?”

“Honestly, Sally is probably the best out of all of us. She and Tapping just got back from Thailand, and I think getting away has done them well,” Aaron mentions. Burr is comfortable around Bellamy in a way that he rarely is, and maybe that’s the privilege of a thirty-something year relationship. “Let me introduce you to the team,” he places a guiding hand on Jon’s arm as he takes him through the gate space to each person on the staff. Aaron feels at ease with the way Bellamy clicks with the staff, especially once Eliza recognizes an article of his on the most recent Times. They’re in the middle of that exchange when Aaron catches sight of Alexander and Angelica with boxes of donuts and two large containers of coffee. Maria cuts around him and goes to grab some of the boxes in Angelica’s arms, which is rewarded with a grateful smile. The sight of them spurs the rest of the staff into movement, leads to shutting and packing away laptops and finishing up phone calls. He sets down one of the coffee containers on one of the chairs nearby, as folks line up to serve themselves. Alexander greets Aaron by handing him a steaming Styrofoam cup.

“I didn’t know what kind of tea you’d want,” he explains as he digs through his pocket, “so I bought one of each type they had.” He places in Aaron’s hand a few crumpled up packets of tea. Aaron cannot help the warmth that settles in his chest.

“Thank you, Alexander.” He hopes his voice conveys the affection he feels. Alexander gives him one of those big beaming smiles. The staff chat, everyone a little more relaxed now with access to caffeine and food. After a few minutes of amicable conversation, Angelica starts to corral everyone into the passageway to the small plane that will get them to Florida.  

“He will be here soon” Hamilton reassures Angelica, who keeps casting glances toward the gate. “Maybe we should schedule him on the earliest next flight?” Angelica asks, having the decency not to be too annoyed.

“He will be here,” Alexander repeats, guiding her by the shoulder toward the hallway. Aaron, inside the craft, settles into a plush leather seat and stretches his legs as far as they can go. He is a pretty small man, but even he can appreciate the ample sense of space. There is a single large seat on either side of the plane, each seat has the capacity to fully recline and rotate. Peggy, Hercules and John settle into the space behind him.

“We aren’t traveling coach ever again,” Laurens hollers, reclining his seat across the aisle as far down as it’ll go. Mulligan, who sits across from him, leans over to give him a high five.

“I mean if Burr is footing the bill,” Hercules laughs.

“Actually, you should all be grateful to Eliza,” Peggy inserts, casting her older sister a kind smile.

“I am just doing my job,” Eliza notes with a little shrug, settling into her seat across from Maria. Alexander plops ungracefully into the seat in front of Aaron, wisps of his hair already lose from the ponytail. Angelica sits across the aisle from her sister.

“Betty, can you send me the most recent list of donors for the dinner tomorrow night?” Angelica asks. Eliza nods, opening her laptop to send the appropriate documents. A young, bright-eyed flight attendant makes the rounds, taking drink orders. She bats her long lashes at Alexander a few times, her smile just a little more loose for him. There is a little commotion at the entry of the plane, and in stumbles a panting Lafayette. Angelica and Alexander both visibly relax a little at the sight of the man.

“Your TSA officers cannot understand a black Frenchman,” Lafayette grumbles, visibly upset. “Many of them thought it appropriate to pat my hair and go through my belongings.” Angelica’s look softens.

“Un –fucking- believable,” Alexander exhales, “you would think with the amount of money we have spent or with your credentials, this shit would not still be happening you know. People think that money or jobs or nice fucking suits deter racism but that’s bullshit.” Laurens nods along. Lafayette takes another second to compose himself, and then drops into the seat across from Peggy. She immediately reaches across to rest a hand on his knee, gives him a sympathetic squeeze. The flight attendant returns with drinks, and a wink for Alexander in particular. Aaron feels a little annoyed but he knows he can’t touch Alexander in any way that will make her back off, so instead he takes a long sip of his whiskey. Alexander clutches the arm rest, his knuckles turning white, take-off always makes him nervous.

 

 

 

“Holy fuck,” Alexander exhales. They’re an hour and a half into the three-hour trip to South Florida and they had just been exchanging information about rallies and dinners and coordinating press releases, when a CNN alert bubble pops up on his computer screen. “Holy fuck,” he repeats. The rest of the plane falls silent, all eyes turning expectantly on Alexander. “Holy fuck, George W. King just announced he’s running for the conservative party.” He turns his laptop screen to the group, it’s a live stream. The man at the podium, George King, is loud and decked out in a gaudy metallic tie and cufflinks that reflect the light back into the camera as he speaks. King had spent the first twenty years of his career in public office, had made it as far as Minority Whip in the Senate, and then ran against Washington where he lost in a landslide. Since then, he has been a bit unhinged and is regularly featured on conservative television networks, where he says some pretty outlandish things about the President and his administration.

“The rest of these people don’t even know how hard it is to actually govern. The snowflakes on the other side have had the protection of Washington for eight years, and they’re going to keep dragging this country into the ground if we let them,” he screams. The crowd roars in response. Alexander is stiff in a way Aaron has never quite seen him. “They have let the jobs go, they’ve let the immigrants in, the inner cities are getting worse. Have you been to Detroit recently? I haven’t because it’s not safe there. We need to be tough on crime. Washington didn’t do enough, he made things worse for us.” Aaron moves slowly, grabs the computer and gently shuts it, providing more than enough room for someone to protest if they want to watch the rest of the stream. There’s an uneasy silence that settles.

“He isn’t going to win, c’mon, that would be wild,” Laurens pipes up, looking at Alexander.

“We are going to make sure our messaging is responding to his. Maybe not directly, but we will affirm our commitment to diversity and inclusion,” Angelica provides. Alexander glances between her and Laurens, and then his eyes land back on Aaron.

“He’s a fucking white supremacist,” Alexander growls out, “a white supremacist is running for office. He could undo all of Washington’s advances on race, police accountability, immigration. I mean we all know Washington has never been perfect, but he did some pretty important shit. Shit that matters, and King? King would undo his whole legacy.”

“Alex,” its Eliza now, voice softer than even her typical, “look around. Look at where we are, King is not going to become president.” Her brown eyes look on him imploringly. Alexander nods slowly. A flashbulb goes off, and everyone turns to its source: Bellamy, with camera in hand. Angelica levels him with an even glare.

“Sorry,” Jon squeaks, “just doing my job, capturing history and all that.” Aaron shoots him a small smile, it feels inappropriate in the solemn mood that’s settled. Aaron thinks that if he were better, this would be it, a moment for a rousing speech that would rally the troops and settle their discomforts, but he doesn’t have it in him.

“Uh, John could you go through King’s platform, see what we can talk about, maybe develop a list of policy responses? Laf, who is funding King’s campaign? Who is endorsing him? What’s the conservative base saying? Maria work with Angelica and ‘Liza to get out a call for small donations to our mailing list. Peggy, Herc, reach out to the field offices, let’s get Aaron into as many of them as possible” Alexander commands. He sweeps up his notebook and laptop and heads to the back half of the plane, past the flimsy partition. Aaron follows after him, making a point of shutting the partition behind him.

“Alex,” his voice is tender. Alexander regards him slowly, his eyes following the lines of Burr’s face, never quite meeting his eyes.

“Don’t ‘Alex’ me now,” Alexander responds, a little petulantly. Aaron crossed the space of the aisle and wraps the (slightly) smaller man in his arms.  
“What’s going on?” Aaron asks into Alexander’s hair.

“How the fuck does that guy even have any legitimacy, y’know? He fucking pushed that whole birther thing with Washington. He came after Martha on the trail, was terrible to her. Has spent the last eight years spouting nonsense about our sitting president. Why? Cause he’s rich, and white and entitled, but that doesn’t give him the authority to act like this” Alexander complains, his cheek resting against Aaron’s shoulder. “How can anyone even take him seriously? He’s not just like a shitty person, he’s also racist and xenophobic.”

“Hey, I know and I am worried too Alexander,” Aaron offers, “but John is right. King is not going to win. We won’t let that happen, he’s just one of those fringe candidates.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH FUCK, KING GEORGE AND VAGUE PARALLELS W/ TRUMP. 
> 
> ALSO Bellamy and Maria are in this!! More Jefferson soon. Also more Abigail. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also yes, there will be a chapter of Alex, Aaron and the team at Disney World with Theo probably. This story is partly domestic fluff and an Aaron Burr character guide so I am trying to spend more time fleshing out his relationship with other people. 
> 
> Also please feel free to yell at me @ baaronburr.tumblr.com


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things happen and the team goes to Disney.

**June 2019**

The weeks of travel start to meld together. The team is somewhere in the South-East of the country, and while Aaron is unsure if he enjoys the close quarters, this is his favorite part of the job: campaigning. Aaron is good at photo-ops and handshakes and kissing babies. He manages to keep his cool when oil barons press him about indigenous land rights. He balances being both principled and polite, and Alexander hates it until he loves it. Aaron is polling well, a few points below Abigail and a couple of points above Thomas nationally. The three of them have distinguished themselves from the rest of the competition. Angelica’s strategy to highlight their commitment to issues of inclusion and diversity has been a winning one thus far, and it has allowed Alexander and Laurens more room to push policy. They throw subtle jabs at King and keep up with and even best Adams and Jefferson in some of the states they visit. Everyone seems to have fallen into the patterns of campaigning and the show is half running itself. All around Team Burr is on the up and up again. They are all sitting in the lounge of the bus, Maria glued to Eliza’s side as they discuss in a low-tone the logistics for an upcoming mass mailing. Bellamy sits on the narrow couch, shoulders pressed against Angelica as she reads over the first part of the profile he is writing about Aaron. Hercules, Laurens and Peggy sit on the floor, each with a beer in hand chatting about nothing in particular. Lafayette snores quietly, his head resting on Mulligan’s lap. Alexander and Aaron are sitting in a small booth, Hamilton is typing away and Burr is reading a novel. Alexander’s phone clatters against the too small table top, pulling everyone’s attention. Alexander glares at his phone for a second, annoyed to be distracted from whatever he was working on before the device rings again.

“Hello Sir,” Alexander greets as he rises to slip past Burr and into another part of the bus. He listens intently as he maneuvers over Lafayette’s sleeping form. “Of course. I understand.” He continues moving away until the conversation is muffled by the distance between him and the rest of the staff.

“Washington?” Eliza guesses, looking at Burr for confirmation.

“Like the President?” Maria asks, her dark eyes bright in the shitty lighting of the bus. Aaron has come to relax more around her. She has really incorporated herself with the team, and with Eliza in particular, and therefore Burr tends to forget how new she is to their circle.

“President Washington is a bit of a father figure to Alex,” Angelica explains, “he took him under his wing early in Alex’s career and mentored him, teaching him how to navigate D.C. and all the personalities. They’ve been close for a long time. Alexander worked as a consultant for the administration informally for a few years.”

“Why did he stop? I mean that sounds like a pretty good gig” Maria presses.

“People always implied that Alex had gotten so far because of President Washington’s help, so Burr’s campaigns became a way for Alex to do it on his own. He ran Aaron’s first campaign for Senate to beat out my dad,” Eliza provides with a little smile. “No one thought it was possible, dad included, but there was Burr charming the entirety of New York and Hamilton moving all of the pieces. And they did it somehow.”

“It was mostly luck and good timing,” Aaron explains and manages to look bashful.

“Alexander built a good portion of the team,” Angelica credits, “Lafayette, Mulligan and Laurens were his friends first. I don’t know how he dragged them along for the ride.” She winks at Maria. “Aaron and I were friends throughout college. I brought Peggy onto the team. Betty took a bit of convincing. She and Alex dated during her first semester at Columbia.” Angelica smiles at her sister, fondness evident.

“That doesn’t count, it was only for a few weeks,” Eliza quickly points out, running a hand through her straight dark hair. Maria studies her with a long, lingering gaze.

“I mean who here hasn’t dated Alexander,” John says, that shit-eating grin back on his face. Aaron can’t help the look he sends the younger man. He does not realize that Maria is watching him.  

“Wait,” Maria grins, “what is the deal with the two of you?” Aaron thinks they can all see the heat that’s crept up on his face.

“What do you mean?” He keeps his voice level. It’s a trick he’s learned after years of public debate and trials, to keep his voice blank.  

“I mean Angelica made me sign the non-disclosure, and this job is my saving grace, so I am not trying to push any boundaries but y’all aren’t exactly subtle” Aaron focuses on the movement of her bright red lips, “I mean you’re together, right?” His eyes fall onto Angelica, who is holding herself very still.

“No one can know,” Aaron says, instead of an answer. She regards him with some confusion, but nods a moment later.

“My lips are sealed,” Maria smiles. Aaron fidgets a little under her dark eyes. Someone else in on the secret means someone else to worry about. It is not that he doesn’t trust Maria, but if the wrong photo is shared or comment is made to the press, even accidentally, they would all be in some serious trouble.

“Seriously Maria,” Angelica says, her eyes narrowing slightly, “I hired you because I know you to be trustworthy, what happens between Aaron and Alex has no bearing on us or the campaign.” Angelica leans forward while she speaks, looking sharp and cool and a little frightening. Aaron is glad that he is rarely on her bad side. Maria nods, her smile straightening out a little bit.

“Of course, Angelica, nobody needs to know,” Maria promises, her eyes resting on Angelica until she gives the younger woman a sharp nod. “So, have you all known each other for a long time?” Maria asks, shifting the conversation before the awkwardness settles in.

“Jon - Bellamy not Laurens- is the newest to the pack,” Peggy chimes in, “he and Aaron have known each other forever though so it doesn’t count. Alexander knows Aaron from undergrad though they went to different schools, they ended up at Columbia Law together. Angie and Aaron went to Princeton together. Aaron introduced Angelica and Alexander, and Angelica introduced him to Eliza before Eliza started at Columbia. Alex was already friends with Laurens and Hercules by the time Eliza showed up. Washington actually introduced Lafayette to Alex during Alex’s first year interning in D.C. The political scene ends up being pretty small because everyone goes to the same handful of schools and works at the same firms.” Lafayette groans softly, shifts in his sleep and bats a hand at Peggy that she easily avoids. Laurens chuckles and Hercules turns his attention to scratching Lafayette’s head.

“What about you?” Aaron asks. Maria stiffens a bit.

“Um, Angelica hired me to help with the overlapping of her and Eliza’s roles,” Maria says, her hands moving as she speaks.

“What did you do before this?” Aaron continues.

“I worked at a PR firm,” Maria supplies, “it’s actually how I know Angelica. The firm represents Eliza’s foundation pro-bono.”

“Why did you leave the firm? I can’t imagine the insecurity of a campaign job was such a draw.” Aaron knows he is pushing. Maria is usually very happy to volunteer information.

“My husband owns that firm Mr. Burr,” Maria’s voice is a little less sweet. “Everyone there knew he was an abusive asshole and no one did shit to help,” she speaks holding Aaron’s gaze, “until the Schuyler sisters came along. Said the campaign was looking for someone, said I was qualified and helped out.” Her eyes flit back to Angelica, the gratitude written all over her face. And then it all falls into place, the recent hire and why Angelica had vouched for Maria so firmly, and Aaron feels like an asshole. Aaron is about to say as much when Alexander walks back into the main area of the bus.

“They’re appointing Lee,” Hamilton proclaims, undoing his high ponytail and then redoing it. “Apparently, it’ll be a quick confirmation process in the Senate and some key congressmen have guaranteed to support Washington’s final set of bills if Lee is appointed.”

“So, no endorsement from the sitting Secretary of State,” Laurens provides, “which is not great for us since you have such little foreign policy experience.”

“Let’s get Aaron and Lafayette in a room with Lee, see if they can convince him otherwise,” Angelica proposes. “And let’s make sure Alexander and Laurens are as far away from him as possible, don’t need the two of you picking fights with the Secretary of State.” John and Alexander both roll their eyes, wearing matching exasperated expressions.

“It’s not my fault he’s always running his mouth,” Alexander says and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Hamilton, you better not even so much as think about subtweeting Charles Lee,” Angelica warns immediately. The room shares a laugh. It has only been a few days since Alexander picked a fight on social media, and the last one was disastrous, included anonymous trolls and ended with Hamilton’s icon being used as a meme.

 

 

 

 

Aaron wakes up with Alexander wrapped around him, strands of the other man’s hair tickling his face. He groans, stretching lazily underneath Hamilton who stirs slightly. While the other man routinely fails to make it to bed, he is notoriously difficult to get out when he’s finally committed to sleeping.

“Alexander,” Aaron shakes the other man gently. Alexander whines and drops his hand on Aaron’s face, as if the other man had a snooze button. “Alexander,” Aaron tries again, his voice half muffled by his lover’s hand. Aaron tries to slide past Alexander, who wraps a possessive hand around his wrist.  
“Don’t go,” Hamilton whines, finally opening his eyes to give Aaron a sleepy pout.

“Gotta go get Theo from the airport. She is arriving soon and I don’t want her to have to wait on me,” Aaron reminds Alexander, “you can stay. I’ll pick you up after I grab her.” Alexander frowns.

“I should go,” Alexander says, his eyebrows twisting in thought. “Should I go? Or am I going to be intruding in your time together? Do you think she wants me there? You haven’t seen her in a few weeks and I don’t want to impose but I also don’t want her to think that I didn’t want to see her.” Aaron cannot help the chuckle the escapes him.

“Alexander, I didn’t realize step-children would be your undoing.” The lines at the corner of Aaron’s eyes deepen when he smiles so warmly. Alexander shrugs, sitting up a little bit on the bed.

“I mean, my father wasn’t around and my mom died when I was young,” Alexander notes as he wrings his hands together, “and Theo is such a great kid and you are a good dad, I don’t wanna mess this up. I mean Washington helped. And loves me I think, but he didn’t really come in until I was an adult and he set such high expectations and sometimes even now I feel like I disappoint him. He wasn’t always the warmest person. I just don’t want to mess it up with Theo.” Alexander’s ears are a little pink with embarrassment. Aaron can feel his chest warm and expanding, he presses a sharp kiss to Alexander’s mouth.

“You can come if you want to, but you don’t have to. Theo, I am sure, will be happy to see you whether it’s at the airport or when we come back. Alexander,” Aaron holds Alexander’s chin, their eyes meeting, “you are absurd, and I love you. Theo is impossible to mess up, she has already exceeded any parental expectations I could have. And you love us and care about her and anything else we can figure out together.” Alexander nods slowly, some suspicion still in his eyes. Aaron kisses him, much more slowly this time, trying to chase any doubt away with his lips. “So, are you coming with me or not?”

“Are you going to let me join you in the shower?” Alexander responds, arching a brow.

“Yes, but no messing around,” Aaron laughs, “we won’t be late to pick up Theo.”

“I just wanted you to wash my back,” Alexander smirks with a wink. Aaron rolls himself out of bed, and grabs the other man by the arm to drag him into the bathroom. They manage to get through the joint shower without incident and only mild teasing. Both men get dressed rather quickly, in soft cotton t-shirts and board shorts. They’ll be picking up Theo at the airport and heading straight for the beach in the eastern coast of central Florida. Aaron drives because Alexander never learned how, and because he finds the process soothing. He fiddles with the radio while Alexander mutters obscenities at his phone.

“Alexander,” Aaron says, “take a break.”

“I have to finish a few things first,” Alexander responds, not even looking at Aaron. Aaron keeps his eyes on the road, attempting not to spoil the morning by being annoyed.  

“I am going to throw your cell phone into the ocean,” Aaron warns, his voice not warm enough for it to be a joke.

“I’ll quit,” Alexander counters.

“Can’t quit if I fire you first. If I do, think you can enjoy our days off?” Aaron returns. Soft lines appear on Alexander’s forehead as he considers that.

“Probably not,” Alexander says, “but fine. Let me just finish typing up some emails and reading some copy Angelica sent over.” Aaron rolls his eyes.  
 “I’ll stop bothering you about it on the drive, but you’ll leave your phone in the car while we are at the beach,” Aaron orders. Alexander glares at him, which Aaron catches in the corner of his eyes. “This is non-negotiable.” Alexander mutters something about ‘dating lawyers’ under his breath, but the rest of the drive is quiet except for the clicking noises of the keyboard and the hum of the radio. They find a spot in the airport parking lot relatively close to the terminal. The airport is busy with movement because its Florida and the summertime but Aaron doesn’t mind the crowds. He weaves through them and Alexander is close behind. He waits at the edge of arrivals section, watching people move through. He knows he has gotten antsy when he feels Hamilton put a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“She will appear soon, don’t worry,” Alexander reassures. Aaron looks at him for a second before his attention is back on the passageway. Minutes pass with still no sign of Theo and Aaron’s knuckles ache from the tension of his balled fists. Guilt snakes its way into his chest, asking his young daughter to travel on her own after being gone for weeks.

“Dad,” Theo screams, her voice so remarkably distinguishable to Aaron. She is wearing pastel shorts and a frilly light top. She picks up her pace until her long legs carry her within arm’s reach. Aaron hugs his daughter tightly and his chest floods with relief.

“I was getting worried,” Aaron mutters into her hair. She smells a little bit of Sally, shea butter and lavender. 

“No need. I had lunch on the flight and Aunt Sally packed me snacks. The flight attendants were all really nice too,” Sally grins. Aaron takes a step back, to give his daughter a long look. He assumes responsibility over her small purple carry-on.

“I missed you,” Aaron notes, touching the center of her forehead with a finger.

“Missed you too dad,” she laughs.

“Theo,” Alexander interjects, fidgeting.

“Mr. Hamilton,” she greets, giving him a quick hug. Alexander doesn’t react quickly enough.

“Are the two of you ready for the beach?” Aaron asks. Alexander and Theo both nod. “Then let’s get out of here. Theo, when we get to the car, call your aunt and tell her you have arrived and are with me.”

The three of them walk toward the exit, and Aaron feels more at ease than he has in weeks. The drive to the beach consists of a lot of chatter between Aaron, Theo and Alex. They talk about her project (she got an A+ of course), her upcoming birthday (she wants a skateboard) and about how it’s been to stay with Sally (great, they’ve been to Six Flags New Jersey twice). When they arrive to the beach, Aaron unloads the picnic basket, the umbrella and a beach bag packed with all essentials. The beach is quiet and private, and they find a spot close to the shore to settle down at. Theo and Alexander almost immediately make their way to the water and Aaron watches them splash and play for a minute before pulling out the novel he has been working his way through.

 

 

 

The line to enter Magic Kingdom Park is long and winding, and Aaron already knows he will splurge on FastPasses for the entire team to avoid waiting an eternity for the rides. Apparently, being a U.S. Senator does not come with any particular Disney theme park privileges. It seems as though the day off did the team well. Alexander is a bit sunburnt from the beach outing, Laurens and Peggy are sporting matching hangovers and Eliza and Maria have been giving each other eyes all morning. They had breakfast at a Waffle House, where one of the waitresses recognized Aaron and proceeded to ask for photos for the entire staff. He obliged happily, and even wrote a nice note on the napkin and left a substantial tip. Jon (Bellamy) carries Theo on his shoulders, and she has a proud smile on her lips. The whole group is swapping stories to prepare Theo, Mulligan and Lafayette for their first trip to Disney World.

“Dad used to take us when we were little,” Peggy recalls, “I think the last time we went I was probably 12 or 13, ‘Liza was 14 and Angelica had just turned 16. She threw a fit and said we were too old for Disney. We didn’t come back the next year.” The younger Schuyler sisters both mock glare at Angelica, who rolls her eyes underneath the brim of the ball cap she is wearing.

“I grew up in a really religious family,” Bellamy volunteers, “they thought Disney would brainwash me. I didn’t visit until I was 25 when I was on a story in the area and figured why not.”

“Me and Alex came to Orlando during Spring Break senior year. We saved up all of our work study money and bought a pretty cheap roundtrip ticket. Spent the entire time exploring the parks. Epcot was my favorite,” Laurens supplies.

“Disney was one of the few TV channels that came on where I grew up. The rich kids that got to leave the island always came back with stories and t-shirts or keychains. It’s silly but I always associated Disney with American childhood, which seemed easier than my own. When I moved here for college, it was one of the first things I told John I wanted to do. We saved a ton and made it happen,” Alexander explains, his eyes half on his shoes and half on Theo. She smiles at him, and its warm and kind and he has seen that look on Aaron a hundred times. The line has progressed a bit while they chat, and Aaron pays for the tickets for the group.

“I brought my daughter Susan a year ago for her fifth birthday. It was just the two of us and it’s still my favorite vacation. We got breakfast with the princesses one morning, and stayed at one of the resorts. Susan really wants to return,” Maria says, a wistful smile on her plump lips. “Maybe the next time, I can bring her along. I think the two of you would be friends, Theo. She’s smart too.” Theo beams at the compliment. The security officer checks their bags, and they cross through the metal detectors. It only goes off once because Alexander forgot put his phone in the bin. Unfortunately, Bellamy is not allowed to carry Theo through so he sets her down. She passes without worry and then proceeds to wind her way to her father’s side.

“What about you dad?” Theo asks, her dark eyes focus on Aaron’s form.

“Your mom brought me, it was the first place we traveled to together,” Aaron’s voice is drenched in fondness, “she had represented Disney in a big intellectual property case and was invited to the park. She insisted that I come.” Theo nods, her eyes bright with the possibilities. Aaron wishes more than anything that in that moment Theodosia were there to savor in the joy of their wonderful child.

“What was her favorite ride? Let’s do that first.” Aaron often forgets how young Theo is. She spends a majority of her time around adults, she is thoughtful and considerate and polite. She knows she is expected to be well-behaved and she’s smart, and a little tall for her age. In that moment though, Theo looks all of eleven.

“Hey, does anyone want to grab a beer?” Laurens asks, giving Aaron a conspiratorial look. “Burr, we are going to get snacks and beer. Just text Alex with your location.” Aaron nods, feeling immense gratitude for the freckled man. The adults head in the direction of the beer vendor. Theo and Aaron head in the opposite direction.  

“When your mom and I came, we got a private tour of the castle” Aaron explains, pointing to the iconic centerpiece of Disney World: Cinderella’s Castle with its iconic white, gold and blue spires. “We climbed all the way to the top, where the stained-glass windows are, and she was so excited.  That was the thing, your mom was cultured, well-traveled, and a brilliant lawyer, but this place brought out all of this childish wonder in her.” Theo nods, hanging off every word that Aaron utters. Often similarities are drawn between Theo and Aaron, but Aaron can’t help but imagine all the ways his daughter is like her mother.  

“Maybe when we come back, we can stay in the castle?” Theo asks. Aaron just nods, taking her hand and leading her forward. Inside the castle there are massive mosaics, depicting the story of Cinderella. They take their time to look and to chat, the awe not quite leaving either of them. After a little while Theo turns toward Aaron, a little smile on her lips.

“I wish mom were here,” Theo says, fidgeting with seams of her t-shirt, “but I am glad we are here. I am happy we are sharing this with Uncle Jon, and ‘Liza and Mr. Hamilton and the rest.” She looks at her dad, her stance unusually insecure.

“I wish Theodosia were here too,” Aaron responds, all earnestness, “she would be so proud of you.” They linger one more minute within the quiet confines of the castle. “You ready to head back out?” Theo nods again, taking Aaron’s hand. He texts Alexander, who instructs them to head to Tomorrowland, the sci-fi themed portion of the park. They arrive and instantly spot their group immediately, they are all standing under large metal palm trees wearing different iterations of the infamous mouse ears. A majority of the adults have a beer in hand and Lafayette is eating a full turkey leg. When he spots Aaron and Theo, Lafayette waves at them with it. Theo giggles. Aaron feels incredibly grateful for this group, his friends who have always gone above and beyond to make sure his daughter feels loved. Alexander steps forward, his long hair is down and his own mouse ears are sequined pink and reflect back the sunlight.

“These are for the two of you,” Alexander extends his hand, a blue Disney bag in his grasp. Theo glances at it and then at Aaron. “I hope you like them.” Aaron nods at his daughter, who reaches for the bag. She pulls out two matching mouse ear headbands with a large red-and-white polka dot bow at the center. Theo places her own on her head, and then turns toward Aaron. Aaron squats a bit so that he is at Theo’s height. His daughter reaches up and puts his headband in its place. Theo directs a toothy smile to Alexander and envelopes him in a hug.

“Thank you, Mr. Hamilton,” Theo squeaks, an excited pitch in her tone.

“Group picture,” Bellamy proposes. He sets up the self-timer and tripod. Everyone bunches up together with Theo and Aaron in the center. The photo is absurd, half of Lauren’s face is covered by Eliza’s pastel blue mouse ears. Aaron thinks Alexander looks perfect even with some of his hair in the way.  Lafayette is mid-bite with the turkey leg. Angelica’s eyes are nearly shut in a squint. Mulligan has thrown bunny ears behind Peggy’s yellow headband, and Jon is half a blur. Maria, Theo and Aaron are all grinning a little too hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: This chapter was a lot of fluff and character development and things are going to get real shitty. This is a story about politics centering a queer (closeted) black politician and those things are going to come up. I don’t want to get into too much detail because !!!SPOILERS!!! but prepare yourselves for (more) period-typical racism/homophobia. The period being the US in modern times. There will be explicit racial violence and the characters are going to have to respond and process. I am writing as a queer brown woman, and I want to get into the social issues this story is about and I will do so with care and love for the characters, but it’ll be shit they have to deal with. We can obviously discuss this further on my tumblr @ baaronburr or here. 
> 
> I grew up in Florida and have been to Disney more times than I care to discuss. 
> 
> Here is a photo of President Obama at Disney World https://images.csmonitor.com/csm/2012/01/0119-OBAMA-DISNEY.jpg?alias=standard_600x400


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit happens. Seriously though, warning for explicit racial violence against Burr & the team. A lot of processing toward the end of the chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOUBLE UPDATE: 
> 
> This chapter was written within twenty-four hours and hurt all of my feelings. June is a long fucking month for the team and this story. 
> 
> Explicit instances of racism against a main character in this chapter. Feel v apprehensive about it, but it’s not something I have any interest in running away from especially when you consider the current political climate. Last chapter was all fluff and warmth and set-up with our characters, this one is very plot heavy. 
> 
> As always, I welcome feedback and critique (and love) in the comments.

**June 2019**

Theo’s twelfth birthday is an occasion for all involved. Aaron rents out an arcade venue in downtown Manhattan, has the occasion catered and invites more people than he cares to. Aaron always makes a point of outdoing himself for Theo’s birthdays, as Theodosia had done before she got sick. Aaron’s parents died when he was a child, and Theodosia’s father had died before the two of them had even met, her mother a few months after Theo was born. Since it is just the two of them, Aaron thinks that warrants massive celebration. A handful of Theo’s friends from school show up with their parents, which thrills her to no end. Sally arrives with Tapping and a massive box adorned with a yellow bow. Van Ness isn’t able to make it but sends a gift for her anyhow. The entirety of the senior staff is there: Lafayette is accompanied by his wife Adrienne and their son Georges, and Maria brought her daughter Susan. The adults are invited to join the kids playing or to partake in having beer and wine and hors d'oeuvres in what’s been labeled ‘the adult section,’ a set of high top tables away from the pinball machines.

“Do you ever want another one?” Eliza sits across from Aaron, a glass of red wine in hand.

“Honestly, I don’t know how I would do it without Theodosia,” Aaron admits, “the first few months were horrible for me. For her too, I am sure, but she did it with so much grace. It was hard to go from working all the time, and traveling and going out to being parents. How would I even balance raising another kid at this age. Can you imagine that as President.”

“You think Alex wants a kid of his own?” She tilts her head in his direction. Alexander is playing air hockey against Laurens and they’ve attracted the attention of some of the other parents with their competitiveness.

“Alexander is hardly able to take care of himself,” Aaron points out. That point is solidified when Hamilton chucks the hockey puck at John. “You know how hard he works, how much pride he takes in his work, children require time.” Eliza takes a long sip of her wine.

“I keep thinking about adopting,” Eliza volunteers. Aaron studies her with a glance. Eliza Schuyler manages to look young despite pushing up on forty. She is an image of refinement and understated softness.  The dress she has on is light blue, white and silver with a high neckline and soft, falling pleats. Her dark, bone-straight hair is tucked behind her ear on one side, and her make up is minimal. They first met during Thanksgiving one year in college when Angelica insisted he come stay at the Schuyler’s.

“You’ve already raised so many,” Aaron points out. Eliza nods, a sad smile curls on her lips.

“I have,” she concedes, “but that’s always been about work. The orphanage is my life’s work, my legacy, but I see what you have with Theo, and Gilbert with Georges and now Maria and Susan, and it feels like I am missing something fundamental.” Her hooded eyes are dark as she reads Aaron’s face.

“You are more equipped than any of us to be a parent Eliza,” Aaron says earnestly, “and you know we would all support you.”

“Maybe once the election is over.” Aaron nods at that and they settle into an amicable silence, each taking long sips of their respective drinks. Aaron watches Theo who is sitting in a row of ‘race cars’ alongside Georges, Susan and Benny, a friend from school. Her dress has a bright water color print that she chose herself and looks absolutely absurd in the context of the bright yellow driver’s seat. Aaron knows that even though it’s been difficult especially without Theodosia, his daughter is the absolute light of his life. Alexander comes over with Angelica in tow and a beer in hand.

“Laurens got tired of losing so he went to play Pac Man,” Hamilton provides as explanation. He takes up an empty stool next to Eliza.

“People are starting to think this is your twelfth birthday party,” Angelica comments. Alexander doesn’t help his case by sticking his tongue out at her. Aaron and Eliza both chuckle. The four of them chat about inconsequential things until Hercules approaches them. He fiddles with the customary beanie that’s part of his casual wear even in the middle of summer.

“Hamilton, can we speak for a second?” Hercules is usually polite and mindful, but there’s a layer of anxiety in the way he is currently carrying himself. His shoulders are stiff and despite requesting Alexander, his gaze shifts rapidly between Aaron and Angelica. He is as pale as a man of his dark complexion can be.

“Yeah, of course Herc.” Alexander leaves his seat and follows the other man out through the front door.  Aaron, Eliza and Angelica watch silently from their place at the high top as the two men converse on the sidewalk. Mulligan speaks while standing very close to Alexander (probably attempting not to be overheard) and then pulls out his phone from the back pocket of his slacks. He twists the screen to face Alexander, and even from this far, they can all see the heat rise in Alexander. Aaron almost wants to laugh as he expects steam to blow from Hamilton’s ears, but the fury in the other man’s expression keeps him from doing so. The exchange between Mulligan and Alexander lasts another quick set of back-and-forths, and then they both head back inside. Aaron rises to meet Alexander as he approaches the table.

“Eliza, can you make sure everything in here is running smoothly for a few minutes? I need to speak with Burr and Angelica.” All the previous youth has disappeared from Alexander’s features. Eliza nods. Alexander doesn’t provide more explanation and turns, knowing that Aaron, Angelica and Hercules will follow. They head to the back of the venue, into a private area away from the party. Alexander shuts the door behind them.

“Herc,” Alexander prompts. The fine lines at the ends of Hamilton’s eyes seem deeper than usual.

“I got a call from one of our field offices in eastern Alabama,” Mulligan removes his beanie, wringing it in between his hands, “something happened. We received reports of racist phone calls and notes but things had settled in the last few weeks.” Hercules looks at Aaron, then at Angelica and then at Alexander. “The director and some volunteers got in this morning and when they got there, the window was shattered. Someone threw a brick through the window.” Aaron frowns.

“Okay, vandalism? We can send them funds to have it repaired,” Aaron responds.

“Burr, on the brick there was a note,” Mulligan continues. He hands off his phone to Angelica, whose shoulders are taut. Her lips are pulled into a tight line. She hands the phone to Aaron. On the screen is a photo of the famed brick and there is writing across it in something chalk-like. It reads ‘no more n---- in the white house.’ Aaron stares at the screen until it goes dark with inactivity. He knows he is probably clutching the phone a little too tightly, but he can’t find himself meeting the eyes of the other members of his team. He feels Angelica’s hand come to rest on his shoulder. Aaron focuses on the warmth of her palm as to not think of anything else.

“MSNBC was already on site so, unfortunately, this will be part of the news cycle,” Alexander steps in, “the police are treating it as a hate crime. Washington’s staff already knows as well.”  The news cycle means Theo will know, her peers will probably know. Aaron feels nauseous at the prospect of his daughter having to listen to this.“Aaron, I think it is time for you to seriously consider Secret Service,” Alexander continues. Aaron has put off the Secret Service conversation for a few weeks. He became eligible when he started getting more than 5% on national polls, but he’s had a discrete security detail and all of his events have been privately staffed and it’s never been a concern. Aaron knows that getting assigned Secret Service would really impact Theo, and he just wants to cling to a semblance of a normal childhood. He has to sit. “Angelica and I will work on a statement, we will organize a press conference. Maybe do a joint visit with you and President Washington to the field office. It’ll be a focal point of our next virtual fundraising effort. We won’t let them intimidate-”

“Alexander,” Aaron snaps, his voice loud even in his own head. Alexander visibly cringes and his mouth closes. 

“Let’s give him a minute,” she states, ushering Hercules and Hamilton out into the hallway. “Get us when you’re ready” Angelica instructs before she shuts the door. Aaron knows he owes it to his staff and friends to get it together, they too are directly impacted by this. He needs to figure out how to speak about this with his daughter. He knows all of this but still can’t find it in himself to move. Aaron is not naïve, he spends much of his adulthood navigating racist microaggressions in his office and gets pulled over by cops more frequently than he cares to track, but this is beyond even those things. He takes a few deep breaths before he makes his way to open the door. Aaron’s hands shake, and he balls them into fists to avoid giving himself away. Angelica, Alexander and Hercules walk back into the room.

“What do we do?” Aaron asks, searching for some direction. Alexander’s eyes are warm and sympathetic toward him. Aaron feels small under their exploratory gaze.

“Well, first we are finishing this party,” Angelica states, “I will keep the adults busy and away from their news streams, so that the children can enjoy themselves and neither you or Theo have to field questions.” Aaron nods automatically, hoping his gratitude is conveyed.

“Hercules, can you check in with the staff at that office? Brief Laf and John, and let’s get everyone to my house after the party.” Aaron’s voice is back to an appropriate volume. Mulligan nods. The four of them share a look, and Angelica inhales deeply before making her way out the door once more. Hercules follows pretty closely, but Alexander lingers. He watches Burr and he waits for him to speak. 

“I am sorry,” Aaron provides, his voice low and his eyes on Alexander’s emerald tie.

“No,” Alexander states back, “there’s no need for you to apologize. Angelica tells me I take up too much space and I am working on it. It’s okay that you’re upset about this Aaron, I hope you know that. And if you want to yell at me to feel better, that’s okay too. I don’t know how to support you but I want to try.” And Aaron throws caution to the wind, kissing Alexander with an uncharacteristic neediness.  Alexander holds his shoulders, kissing back much more slowly and gently. Aaron feels grounded in that kiss, loved and wanted and protected. Aaron only pulls away once he feels more in control of his own emotions. He rests his forehead against Alexander’s, and knows that to any bystander this touch would be far too intimate for just friends, but he doesn’t care right then. 

“Thank you, Alexander,” Aaron murmurs, soft enough for only the two of them to share. Alexander only knows patience for Aaron Burr, he waits in silence until the other man is ready to pull away. Hamilton follows Aaron out of the room and back to the party. Aaron tries to enjoy the celebration as much as possible after, but he knows his heart is not in it. He is anxious that someone will mention what happened to Theo, or that something else will occur. Alexander focuses on his computer, as he drafts a statement for the press and figures out next steps. Eliza and Laurens take over host duties after Angelica briefs them. The afternoon passes in a bit of a blur after that. He can’t exactly recall the taste of the cake or Theo’s reaction to the skateboard her Aunt bought her. Aaron is in the process of packing up the party when Angelica approaches him.

“There’s press outside,” she sighs out, keeping her voice low as to not alert the remaining guests. Aaron knows that NY press is pretty good at tracking him down, and he can see them hovering through the glass window. Some flash bulbs go off in his direction when he glances up.

“Must be about the presidency,” one of the mother’s comments loudly, a grin on her red-red lips. Aaron manages a smile that he knows very well does not reach his eyes. “They don’t even respect that this is a children’s party.”

“Comes with the territory unfortunately,” Aaron manages to even have sympathy in his voice, “but don’t worry, they won’t bother you on your way out.” The anonymous PTA mom nods before collecting her purse and her child and heading out the front door. After that point, the only ones remaining are his staffers and their children. Aaron figures Lafayette, Adrienne and Georges can ride with him and Theo in their car to the Burr home, while Maria and Susan go with Eliza. Aaron, quite protectively, shields Theo with his body as they step out of the venue, a microphone is jabbed into his face as he makes his way.

“Senator Burr, any comments on the alleged hate crime in Alabama this morning,” the young reporter shouts. Alexander instantly intervenes, putting himself between Burr and the members of the press.

“The entire staff is shocked and saddened by the occurrences of this morning. We have run our campaign with a commitment to inclusion and diversity, and this kind of response is both unwarranted and unacceptable. We hope that all of the current candidates for the presidency will join us in denouncing this kind of violence,” Alexander captivates the attention of everyone. Aaron feels a hand, which he assumes to be Mulligan’s, usher him and Theo into the car and shut the door behind him. His driver sets off. Theo’s eyes are large, the pupil and iris virtually indistinguishable, and they rest on Aaron.

“Little Theo,” Lafayette greets, and while she is usually so charmed by Laf, her eyes don’t move from her father.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Theo asks. Georges turns his own dark, wide eyes onto Aaron. Aaron tries not to squirm. 

“Something bad happened at our office in Alabama,” Aaron attempts to explain, “everyone is safe and no one got hurt, but people are upset.” Theo narrows her eyes, expecting more.

“They broke a window,” Lafayette provides, “and left a note. It did not say nice things.” Georges frowns at his father.

“What did the note say?” Theo presses.

“We will talk about it once we get home,” Aaron states, effectively shutting down the rest of the conversation. Theo huffs and crosses her skinny arms over her chest but stays silent for the rest of the trip to Aaron’s. Aaron requests to be dropped off at the side door of their building instead of the front entrance, wanting to avoid any more run ins with the press. He leads Theo and the La Fayette’s into the service elevator and up to his floor. Alexander and the rest of the team are already waiting inside when Aaron walks in. Everyone is sitting in a loose circle, some of them on the couch and others on the floor.

“Theo, please take Georges and Susan up to your room,” Aaron orders. Theo opens her mouth to argue, but something in his look makes her close it again. She nods sharply and motions for the other two children to follow her up the steps. Aaron waits to hear the click of her bedroom door.

“Has everyone been briefed?” Aaron asks, already moving toward the wine he keeps on the countertop. He uncorks a bottle of red and pours himself a generous glass taking a drink. Aaron then pulls out a few more glasses from the kitchen cabinets.  

“Yes, Maria was the only person missing and Eliza took care of it,” Alexander responds. Aaron moves the glasses to the coffee table they’re all positioned around, and sets the bottle down. Angelica instantly serves her sisters a glass each.

“So, what’s the plan?” Aaron has a headache and he knows he’s dodging the real conversation. Alexander scrutinizes him. 

“Angelica has already put out a statement. Eliza and Maria are crafting messaging for a campaign fundraiser. We have already covered the costs of repair for the window at the office, but are going to leave it paneled up as is for a few days. It’ll be a good backdrop for the joint press conference between you and President Washington,” Alexander explains.

“I thought Washington was trying to steer clear of this campaign,” Aaron notes, a little resentment in his voice.

“He owes me one,” Alexander states, “and King hasn’t let up attacking his legacy so he thinks this will be a good PR move for the administration. See if it can sway some hearts for the upcoming civil rights bill.”     

“You, Hamilton, Mulligan and I will be flying out tomorrow early for the midday conference in Alabama. Then you have a meeting with the staff,” Angelica instructs. “Don’t worry about Theo, we’ve already called Sally and everything is taken care of and we will be on a flight back before end of day.”

“How has this impacted the polls?” Aaron is all business. He takes another gulp of wine.

“No impact yet _mon ami,_ it has only been a couple of hours since the incident,” Lafayette indicates. “I did receive a call from Mr. Madison. He said this was unpardonable and that he was indeed very sorry.” Laurens rolls his eyes. 

“Jefferson didn’t even call himself, and he sure didn’t waste any time to make a public appearance,” John growls out. He pulls out his computer from his brown leather messenger bag, typing something up quickly and pulling up the video of Thomas, in a ridiculous purple jacket and a light blue dress shirt.

“I am absolutely appalled that this would happen, and while it might have happened at Burr’s campaign office, I feel as if this is a message directed to all of us. While Burr and I are competing for the nomination, I have a responsibility to denounce this violent behavior. The political landscape should have no bearing on our personal relationship and Senator Burr and I remain close friends, and I am sending him and his team my most sincere apologies. I would also like to note that this event is not indicative of the spirit of the South, and there’s a lot of good work to do here. I hope this experience does not taint Senator Burr’s understanding of our community.” The stream cuts off there, and Laurens shuts the laptop.

“How does he manage to make himself the victim in all of this?” Alexander sounds absolutely exasperated, “and then somehow flips it to ‘Aaron hates the South.’ And then to go and say that the two of you remain close friends. If he wasn’t such a dick, I would be impressed. Thomas Jefferson should teach a master class at how to be a political asshole.” Angelica downs her glass of wine in one go, then pours herself another.

“I am sorry this kind of ruined Theo’s day, Aaron,” Eliza states from the couch, her voice gentle. “And for whatever its worth, Thomas was right in one thing: this wasn’t just about the destruction of the office, it was about making a point and hurting a community of people.” Peggy slips her hand into her sister’s, squeezing softly.

“Don’t be so sensible Betty,” Angelica exhales, the corners of her lips are upturned in a sad smile. “Alexander being mad at Thomas is just the way he copes.” Alexander shrugs, his head dropping. Aaron presses two fingers to his temple in an attempt the alleviate the pressure of a headache.

“How is everyone doing?” Peggy pipes up, looking around the room at each of her colleagues and at Adrienne. “We can’t really talk to folks on the ground if we haven’t figured out our own feelings.”

“I don’t really know what to say besides that I am upset,” Hercules volunteers, “and there’s no room to be upset. The kids in the field can’t know because then how will they do their jobs? And there’s no real place in this whole country for an angry, dark-skint, black man. Especially not one of my stature.” Hercules’ shoulders are drooping, arching inward and his posture makes him seem smaller than he is. Despite his size, he has always been the gentle one in the group and Aaron has to wonder how much of that has been cultivated due to the expectations around men with his complexion and size. Laurens leans into Mulligan’s side, placing his cheek against the other man’s broad arm.

“Herc is right though, this is our job and to do our jobs effectively sometimes we have to confront difficult things and put those things away,” Angelica speaks. “Obviously, my first instinct shouldn’t have been ‘shit let me draft a press statement,’ but that’s where my mind went. And I don’t know, in light of the kind of brutality black people are subject to, I have compartmentalized so that my feelings don’t interfere in my career.” Alexander is uncharacteristically quiet, he knows he is bearing witness to a moment of immense intimacy that he will never quite understand for all of his understanding of racism and xenophobia.

Maria has her red lip caught between her teeth. “I just don’t know what to tell Susan,” she confesses, “I don’t want her to be worried about me or my safety especially because she already worries so much because of James.” Eliza wraps an arm around Maria’s shoulder, hugging Maria to her side.

“We are going to make sure everyone is safe,” Laurens promises, a fierceness in his eyes.

“It is not to say that the French are not racist per se, but American racism is very particular,” Lafayette’s hand is tucked in Adrienne’s, “it is very sad but not very surprising. It is a shame that such a great country cannot seem to move past this.”

“Aaron?” Peggy presses, her honey-brown eyes inquisitive. Aaron knows he has the capacity to shut down the conversation, to remove himself if he is uncomfortable. He thinks (knows) that his closest friends would understand and would give him space if he asked for it. Aaron wants to flee this conversation, but the rest have been so honest and open, and he owes it to them.

“I just…” Aaron begins and is already flustered, he is rarely this vulnerable. Alexander reaches over, takes one of Aaron’s hands in his own, and presses a quiet kiss to the Burr’s knuckles. “I didn’t think it would happen to me,” he admits. “I mean, I read about these things happening all the time, and I am not oblivious to history, but being targeted like this, I couldn’t expect and despite that, the only thing I could think was ‘what did I expect to happen.’ And I have worked my entire life, and been good and patient and articulate so that my daughter never feels like there are limitations on her success, and this undoes all of that.” Aaron feels like an exposed nerve. He takes a drink from his glass of wine to keep his hands and mouth busy.

“I don’t pretend to know the challenges you are all facing,” Eliza’s voice is all comfort, “but I know that we can rely on one another to take care of each other, and make space for one another.” Maria relaxes into Eliza’s side. Aaron knows that there are details to sort out, decisions to make, and next steps to take and while the anxiety has not left his bones, it has settled a little bit. He feels safe within his home and amongst his friends –his family. This is not something he had any intention of involving them in, but if there’s a group he needs to share this fate with, he is relieved it is this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can exhale again. Honestly, this chapter is shorter than my usual but I didn’t really want to get into the press conference or any of that just yet. I was also very intentional on focusing on the voices and responses of the black characters of this story. I obviously do not intend to be dismissive with the identities of others but their voices should be prioritized in a conversation about anti-black racism. 
> 
> We also get the famed meeting with Abigail next chapter, and probably a run in with Jefferson. No promises though. 
> 
> ALSO, am I setting up to have Phillip appear? IDK I am trying to figure it out. 
> 
> Theo’s birthday dress: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/Zoe-Watercolor-Tiered-Shimmer-Dress-Pink-Size-7-16/prod201990074_cat47330740__/p.prod?icid=&searchType=EndecaDrivenCat&rte=%252Fcategory.service%253FitemId%253Dcat47330740%2526pageSize%253D30%2526No%253D30%2526Ns%253DMAX_PROMO_PRICE%257C1%2526refinements%253D4294884663%252C4294884724&grpId=prod201990074&eItemId=prod200850225&cmCat=product&focusProductId=prod200850225
> 
> Eliza’s dress at the party: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/NIC-ZOE-Rain-Drops-Twirl-Dress-/prod198390039_cat43810733__/p.prod?icid=&searchType=EndecaDrivenCat&rte=%252Fcategory.service%253FitemId%253Dcat43810733%2526pageSize%253D29%2526No%253D58%2526Ns%253DPCS_SORT%2526refinements%253D4294966010%252C721%252C4294846522&grpId=prod198390039&eItemId=prod196430145&cmCat=product&focusProductId=prod196430145

**Author's Note:**

> Tags will be updated as the story develops. This is my first work in the Hamilton fandom, and my first work of fan fiction since 2011/2012. 
> 
> I have no idea how campaigns actually work and this is based on political dramas and vague research.
> 
> You can follow me on tumblr @ baaronburr.tumblr.com


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